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Geneological and Heraldic 
ReiDort on 



/^TA 



THK 

CAPKWEUL 

F^AMILY 

ISSLTBO JUI.Y 21, 1906 

BY 



Clarence L. Cape w el i^, 



-AT 



BALTIMORK, MARVI^ANO, 



LiNllKD ^TAIKS OF AMERICA. 



BALTIMORE, MI).. 
U. S. A.. 



' ^ 

7 



Git. 

Author 

(Person) 






V-- 



CONa^ENTS. 



Page. 

Preface 7 

Daughters of Capewell'.^ 15 

Deaths 21 

CapweU's -)l 

Cape\V(>ll Street 12 

Coat Of Anns 18 

(xeorge Joseph C'apewell 2.") 

-Marriages 4 o 

Maiu-et te r >hi i u )r 43 

Missing. 4o 

A Family Keunioii .5(5 

Rising Sun inn 47 

Widows of ( 'ape well's .'){) 



NOTICE. 



The male Capewell's are scattered throughout the pamphlet in 
alphabetical cu-der. It will also he notiet'd that a numeral is Ijefore each 
name; such as "(1. A.)" "(2. !>.)" etc., for distinguishing purposes. 
Thus, "(:'). J.)" indicates, .Joseph of Shepherds' Lodge, Cellar Head, and 
{'I. \y.) indicates, William of U) New Street, Hanley. "S'ou are kindly 
requested to use this method of indication in your future correspcindenee. 



PREFACE. 



OBJECT OF THESE. ANNUAL REPORTS. 

It is with great pleasure that I send you this, my first annua] report ; 
and I sincerely trust that you will find it interesting and entertaining mid 
even instructive. 

By the grace of the Almighty Father, I hope to issue my next report 
.July 21st, li)07. 

Life is so uncertain that it would he extremely dangerous for the wel- 
fare of these records to allow them to remain in the hands of any one 
person, no matter in what part of the world lie may live: and that is one 
reason wliy it has been considered advisaljle to have these annual reports 
printed, giving an account of tlie information secured during the year 
previous and sending them to all the Capewell's in the different parts of 
the world, thus insuring their safety as much as possil)le. 

SAVE YOUR REPORTS. 

You should save each report as the information c(mtained then in 
may be entirely different from that of the following year: and liy s-aving 
them all, you will have quite an interesting history, even should tlie 
larger "Capewell History" never Ije printed. 

WHO THEY ARE SENT TO. 

These reports are sent to every Capewell in the world, for tlie 
purpose of keeping them posted as to the progress made during the past 
year in the family history, and the exact name and address of everj- other 
Capewell . 

A copy will also be sent to every Lil:)rary, Historical and Geneologieal 
Society, and Newspaper in the localities where there are any Ca.pew(drs 

EXTRA COPIES FOR YOURSELF OR FRIENDS. 

Extra copies will be sent to any address in tlie world on receipt of 
the necessary postage. 

HISTORY OF THOSE ON THE LIST. 

I have, in the mean time, been gathering the history of those aln-ady 
on the list, and hope in some future report to be aide to impart to y<ni as 
entertainingly as possible, the lifediistory of each, and to separate the 



S THE CAPEWELL FAMILY. 

iistinet branches of the family and pkice each one where they belong, i^o 
that all may be able to trace their own line back as far as it goes. 
These reports will also show the relationship of each. 

HONEST AND UPRIGHT CITIZENS. 

It is also hoped by these reports to create an interest and pride in 
the History and welfare of the family name and all those Avho bear it. 

It must be said, however, that I have never found a Capewell who 
svas not proud of his name; and they have every reason to be so, for so 
far a^ the history shows, the Capewell's have all been honest and upright 
citizens. No matter what their station in life, nor the section of the 
ivorld in which they live, they are respected l)y all who know them. 

PRIVATE. INFORMATION. 

I am in receipt of considerable private information, which will not 
be published in the annual reports, but will be reserved for the large, 
completed "Capewell History." 

ALL CAPE^VELL'S 'WANTE-D. 

We want the life history of every man, woman and child who has 
3ver borne the name of Capewell; it matters not how humble they may 
be; we must include all, or our history will not l^e complete. 

MARRIAGES, BIRTHS, DEATHS 

And changes in address should be reported as promptly as possil)le. 

MIGRATION OF CAPEWELLS. 

In these times, when the world is moving so rapidly, and the 
peoples of all nations are so restless, the Capewell's are very apt to leave 
their homes and seek their fortunes in other climes. Some have come to 
■.he United States of America, some have gone to Canada, and some to 
Australia: and it is presumed that in the years to come, others will 
migrate also. In the future the Capewell's may be found in all parts of 
:.he world. 

OUR PRESENT DUTY. 

It is, therefore, the duty of those now living, lo locate every Cape- 
well and keep in communication with him: let him feel that you are 
interested in his welfare, and in the end he will l)e Ijrought to feel tlu' 
^ame interest in you and in all those who bear the name; He will feel 
proud of his name and guard it with jealous pride, regarding the history 
>f his family as the most valuable possession he has. 



THE C'APEWELL FAMILY. 9 

Now is the tiiiK' to aceomplisli all tins: now, when the records can 
he found, and while there are not so many Capewell's in the world. 

TE-ACH THE CHILDREN. 

L^'t US teach the children the value of the family records and make 
them proud of their name, that in the end they may he encouraged to 
greater things in this Avorld; and rememher that the child of today is the 
man or Avoman of tomorrow, and t(^ them we nmst look for tlie prosperity 
of the Capewell's in the future. 

Sincerely yours, 

CLARENCE L. CAPEWELL. 



THE CAPEWELL FAMIEY. 



1. ARTHUR CAPEWELL— Clark Street, Plattslmrg, New Scutli 
NVak'S, .Australia. 

2. ARTHUR CAPEWELL.— Shark's Bay, West Australia. 

3. ARTHUR CAPEWELL.— Balls Yard, Newcastle-under-Lyme, 
Staffordshire, England . 

4. ARTHUR CLAUD CAPEWELL.— Wood Lea, Dtw-shury Road, 
Beeston Leeds, England. Son of .jostph of Leeds, (l.J), brother to 
Joseph .John, (2. J.), of Wakefield, f:rnest Henry, (3. E.), and George 
Sidne3',(2. G.), of Ivceds. 

5. ARTHUR THOMAS CAPEWELL.— 85 Thornsat Boad, Sin flield, 
StafTord shire, England. Son of (icorge (who died Nov., 1U04, at 18 
Kenwood Park Eoad, Shetheld) and livother to John Fredtriok,(o. J . ) of 
Meersbrook, and (borge H..(ll. (L) ( f Pliiladclrhia, Pa., V. S. A. 

6. ALBERT CAPEWELL.— 217 St.vcns Street, Ganidtn, New Jer- 
sey, U. S. A. Age 4o, .^on of William Henry, (16. W.) and Jane M. 
Bender (deceased) Gapewell. He was 1 orn Jan. 10, 1S(;7, at 217 Kaighns 
Avenue, Camden. N. J., educated at Kaighns school; Nbwton Avtnueand 
Chesnut Street. Married Oct. 81, ISi'S by Rev. Gilbt rt Underbill, at St. 
John's Episcopal Church. Broadway and Roydc n Streets, to Helen 
Pierce, who was born ^fareb 7, ISCC, at Camden, N.J. 

7. ALFRED CAPEWELL.— 8'.) Cornwallis Street, Stoke-on-Tn nt, 
Staffordshire. England . 

8. ALFRED CAPEWELL.— Pal. 'wins Gate, Wbitmore, ntar New- 
castle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, England. He is a brother to John, 
(Canada), George, (P'). G.). at Ross, Herefordshire, William, (2. W.), 
New Brighton. Jaiie. ( 10. J.b and Harriet. (21. H.), at Stoke-on-Trent. 

1. BENJAMIN CAPEWELL.— Bedworth, near Nuncston, Worces- 
tersliire, Enghuid. Age 7>i. son oi Thonias (deceased). 

Benjamin is the one mentioned as claimnant to "jNIancetter INIanor." 

1. CHARLES WILLIAM CAPEWELL.— 81 Lime Street, Liverpool" 
P^ngland. 

It was Charles William who sent out tlie last report, in November, 
containing the list of the English Cap. wc IPs; and we owe him a vote of 
thanks fciv bis untiring efforts towards tlie success of our histoiw. 

2. CHARLES EDGAR CAPEWELL.— (UG Grant Street, Camden. 
New .brsey, P. S. A. Age 21, son of Winfield Scott, and Melvina V. 



12 TlIK CAPEWELL FAMILY. 

(Stetser) Capewdl, (30. M.). Born April 5. 1882, at 450 Royden Street 
Camden, N. J., edvicated at Liberty School, Eiglith and Spruce Streets, 
^[arried Sept. 4, 1901, at parsonage of Liberty Street ]\Iethodist Clnirdi 
l)y Rev. Blackburn, to Ester .J. Reed, born Sept 10, 1884, at Philadelpliia, 
Pa. They have two children, Jennie N.,(42. J.), and Melvina V., (1<). 
M.) Capewell. 

3. CLARENCE LESTER CAPEWELL.— 1108 West Baltimore Street 
Baltimore, Maryland, U. S. A. Age 37, son of William Henry (deceased) 
and Mary Rel>ecca(01dershaw) Capewell. Born July 21, 1869, at West- 
ville. New .Jersey. 

4. CHARLES CAPEWELL.— 14 Beaccm Street, St. Anncs Well 
Road, Nottingliam, England. 

5. CHARLES CAPEWELL.— :\rill Street, Euturia, Hanley, Staf- 
fordshire, England. He is the father of the missing Samuel, who went 
to America in 1891; (See Missing.) and brother to Frederick Beddeley 
(1. F.) of Hartshill. 

6. CHARLES CAPEWELL.— Highfield, Wetl.jck Rocks, near Stoke- 
on-Trent, Seafordshire, England. 

7. CHARLES CAPEWELL.— Oatlands, Tasmania, Australia. 



CAPEWELL. STREET. 

8. CAPEWELL STREET.— Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U. S. A. 
From 1858 to 1898, a period of 40 years, there was a "Capewell Street" 
in Philadelphia, Pa., and it is descril)ed in the Philadelphia Directory of 
1887, page 6, as, "Capewell Street, west from 828 Belgrade St., to Gaul 
St., 18th ward." This section of Philadelphia is known as Kensington, 
and is where Joseph Capewell, the founder of the present families in 
Pennsylvania and New Jersey, lived and died. Further particulars of 
which will be given in later reports. 

In 1898, the name of Capewell Street was changed to East Fletcher 
Street. With the assistance of Lydia A., (10. L.) I intend to have the 
city records searched for further particulars. 

9. COLIN CAPEWELL.— Shepherds Lodge, Cellar Head, near 
Stoke-on-Trent, StatTordshire, England. Son of .Joseph and Sarah .Jane 
(Docksey) Capewell, (3. J.) of Cellar Head. 

10. CHARLES HENRY CAPEWELL.— Woodbury, Connecticut, U. 
S. xA.. Age 29, born May 17, 1876, at Woodbury. Conn. Son of Sey- 
mour Langdon and Elizabeth Julia (Saxton) Capewell(2. S.). Married 
Dec. 19, 1901, at Plymouth, Connecticut, to Francis Louise Beardsley, 
who was born Sept. 5, 1880, at Plymouth, Connecticut. 



THE CAPEWELL FAMILY. 



1?. 



11. CLIFFORD HOWARD CAPEWELL.— Hatehkissville, Conmct- 
icut, U. S. A. 8on of William Charles and Mary (Misercz) Capewcll 
(17. W.). Age 4, born at Oakville, Conn., .Jan. 17, 1002, 



COAT OF ARMS, 

INCLUDING CREST AND MOTTO. 



] On tliis page is a pho- 

to half-tone of the orig- 
inal "'Cdat of Arms'' 
brought to Anjeriea liy 
Joseph Thomas Capewell 
in I.SIO from England, 
and now in the possess- 
ion of his eldest daugh- 
ter, Sarah Ann, (12. S.) 
who loaned it to her 
sister, .Julia Fredriea, 
(41. -J.) to have it pho- 
tographed; the result of 
whieh you have before 
you . 

The offieial description 
of the coat of arms, as 
given by .Joseph Thomas 
in 1872, is as follows: 

Arms: — Checquey Or. 
and Az., on a Fesse Gu., 
three ^hiscles Az. 

Crest : — A Plume o f 
three Ostrich Feathers, 
two Az and one Gu. 

Motto : — Fide et forti- 
tudine. 

Now, to enlighten the uninitiated, I will give a few definitions. 
Checquey, means, a field or armorial ))earing divided into cheeks of 
different colors, alternating like a chess board. 

Fesse, means a l)and drawn horizontally across the centre of an 
escutcheon and containing in breadth the one-third part of it. 

Mascle, means a lozenge or diamond shaped plate, covering a back- 
ground. 

Or, means gold. Az, means azure, or blue. Gu, means gules, or 
red. 




€ 



a|jiu> 



ill 



14: THE CAPEWELL FAMILY. 

Thus, we have, — Arms: — Checqiicy, gold and pale blue, with a red 
fesse running through the centre, studded with tliree Ijlue mascles. 

Crest: — A plume of three ostrich feathers; the central feather, bright 
red, which indicates courage, animation or hardihood, and the outside 
feathers, blue. 

]Motto: — With faith and fortitude. 

Let us hope tliat by next annual report, we may be able to reproduce 
tlie Coat of Arms with its natural colors, and give a full account of its 
origin, and the history of the family who l)rought it over to America, to- 
gether with their descendants, avIio are mostly located in Connecticut, 
U. S. A. 

^Irs. -Julia F. Warner (.Julia F. Capewell, 41. J.) and Mrs. Sarah 
Ann l>t'nliam (S;irah A. Capewell, 12. S.) deserve our sincere thanks for 
their untiring efforts in behalf of the Coat of Arms and other information. 

In the story of George -Josepli, (1. G.) will also be found an interest- 
ing account of the Coat of Arms and some of those connected with it. 

i^elow will be found an enlightening article on the 

Oi^SGiN OF COATS OF ARMS. 

Taken from "Fouiulatioiis Of Geueology," by Willam Stowell Mills, L. L. B., 
1809, ;J5'2 Clifton Place, Brooklyn, New York, U. S. A., with apologies to Mr. Mills. 

"Ill the days known as the middle ages, war was the chief occupa- 
tion of kings, princes, barons, knights, and, indeed, of all who were able 
to wield the spear or the liattle axe. The military spirit so completely 
ilominated all classes of society, that in the intervals between real engage- 
ments, the warriors resorted to the tournament — the sham battle — to 
whet the appetite for combat. 

The feudal system of land tenure prevailed. Original oAvnership 
was in the king, or conqueror, who ai)portioned his terit()ry among his 
staff of sitpporters,, and they divided theirs into smaller holdings, to be 
again parceled out to vassels of lesser degree. 

Each land owner was able to muster an army of followers, propor- 
tioned in ntiml)ers to the territory he coitld controll. 

The soldier sought to raise himself in the social and political scale b}' 
giving proofs of his courage. His hope of winning favor from those in 
rank abovt' him lay in the evidence he could produce of his skill and dar- 
ing in tlie field. 

Constant struggle for p?rs()nal power was the nr.tural result of this 
social condition. 

Methods of recording military achievements were in a rude state: 
the memory, a'ded by what mig'.it attract the eye, being all the i)idivid- 
ual had on which to found his prestigo. 

The special exhi1)ition3 of prowess upon which he depended for his 
rights and privileges were recorded by means of symbols, designed to he 
conspicuous and to be pc^rpetual reminders of the illustrious career of their 
owner. 



THE CAPKWELL 1\\.M!LY. 15 

These syniljols were originally" worn on tlie outer garment, outside oi 
the warrior's coat of mail, hence the t(>rm — Coat of Arm.-!. 

As ideas of art were developed, these insignia l)ecame decorative; and 
as tlie aspirants for distinction in' reased in nuni'.jers, the symbols became 
more and more indicative of rank. 

Each follower in tho royal train, from the liighest to the lowest, as 
he hscame the head of a farailj^ confered upon that family the rigiit to 
use his insignia. The Coat of Arms thus ])ecame a family inheritaxck. 

In course of time, these tokens grew to be so numerous, and tlicir 
designs so intricate, that it became necessary to devise some more conven- 
ient way of displaying them. 

The custom grew, therefore, of bearing the coat of arms, not on the 
outer garment, ])ut on the warrior's slncld. Tliis is the origin of what 
has been almost a universal form — th ' shield, on wliicli to display the 
principal armorial bearings. 

No precise date can be given for the beginning of the use of coats of 
arms. There are some indications that they l);'gan to take definite form 
in tlie crusades. Customs grow gradually, and as slowly pass away. 

Opportunities of winning material emblems of war are fading away 
with the social conditions that made them possible; liut inheritance by 
descent from, those who won honorable distinction is vital today, and 
may be justly claimed. Those badges were proofs of the wearer's deeds 
of valor, and should l)e held by his descendants as family insignia. 

They once determined the social status of their owners, but in mod- 
ern days, particularly in democratic America, the test of nol)ility lies not 
so much in family pride of the past, as in individual worth, now; yet we 
slionld know how far social evolution has l)rought us, and what were the 
"Days of old, when knights were bold. 
And l)arons held their sway." 

Tile evidences of family honor in past generations should therefore Ije 
cherished." 



1. DANIEL CAPEWELL.— 11 P>yron Road. Birmingham, England. 

2. DAVID CAPEWELL.— liohhuere, Wylde Green, Warwickshire, 
England. 

3. DANIEL PICKERING CAPEWELL.— 215 Coventry Road, liiinn- 
ingham, England. 

Daughters Of Cape wells. 



Below is a list of a few of the "Cap, 'Well Daughters," and, it might l)e 
added, "Capowell Sisters." ]\[ost of these are in America; and we hope 
by our next rep;)rt to add th > names of those in Great J^rittain, Canada 
and Australia. 

So far, the Capewell girls have made a good reputati(,)n for themselves 
and those who have married have made excellent wives and mothers, ami 



16 THE CAPEWELL FAMILY. 

th'jy havj all shown a deep interest in the "Capewell History" and seem 
to l)e as proud of th.' name as their 1>rothers. 



9. ALICE CAPEWELL.— Leek Road, Hanley, Staffordshire, I r,g- 
land. 

10. ANNA M. CAPEWELL.— 4o9 Berkley Street, Camden, New Jer- 
sey, U. S. A. Age 28, l)orn April 9, 1877, at 323 Mt. Vernon Street, 
Camden, N. J. Daughter of \Vinfield Seott (deseeased) and IMelvina V. 
(Stetsor) Cap 'veil, (30. M.) Married Nov. 17, 189(5, at Eighth Street, 
iMethodist Parsonage, hy Rev. Mitehell, to Byron Pinkney Col)!), loin 
Sept. 10, 1871, at New Market, Maryland. They have two ehildren, 
Alherta Wallace and Byron Pinkney Cobb. 

11. AUGUSTA_ANN CAPEWELL.— Oakville, Connecticut, U. S. A. 
Age 32, l)oi-n May 1/, 1.S74. at Woodbury, Litchfield County, Connecticut 
l^. S. A. l)aught<'r of Walter Stanley and .Jennie Agustus (Lewis) C;ip<- 
will (20. W.). Educated at Notre Dame Convent, Waterbury, Con- 
necticut, U. S. A. Married April 9, 1889, at Brewsters, New York, by 
a Baptist minister, to Edwin .Joseph Archer, born Oct. 9, 1868, at 
Wo()(ll)ury, Conn(cti( ut. Tluy have two children, Frederick Welton 
and Harold Raymond Archer. 

2. BERTHA MAXWELL CAPEWELL.— 291 Lil)erty Street. Cam- 
den, New .Jersey, U. S. A. Age 35, born Aug. 0, 1870, at 217 Ixaighns 
avenue. P'ducated, Third and Walnut Streets. Parents, William Hen- 
ry and Jane ]M. (Bender) Capewell (l(i. W.). Married September C), 
1891, by Methodist minister, J renton Avenue, Camden, to James H. 
De)Ug]as. Divorced, 1897, at Camden, N. J. One daughter, .Jane' C. 
Douglas, was born to Mr. Douglas, and is with the mother. 

Married again, Dec. 22, 1898, r^t 1219 Lil)erty Street, by Metlie)elist 
minister, to Edward Larence MacCrea, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 

Chilelren : Edward L., Jr., 7 years: Violetta S., 6 years; William H. 
4 years; Sallie 3 years; Louisa B., 2 years and Bertha ]\I., 1 year. 

3. BESSIE MAY CAPEWELL.— 425 Washington Street, Camelen, 
New Jersey, U. S. A. Be)rn .luly Kb K»01, age 4. Daughter of Ruther- 
forel Hayes and Tjcnda D. (Harbeson) Capewell (1. R. ). 

21. CAROLINE HARRISON CAPEWELL.— 458 Kaighns Avenue, 
Camden, New Jersey, U. S. A. Age 16, born May 16, 1889, at West- 
ville, N. J. l^]ducated same place. Daughter of Mark Anthony anel 
Whillie (Batt) Cape'well (1. INL). 

22. CAROLYN ELIZABETH CAPEWELL.— Piatt's Mills, Nauga- 
tuck, Conneetie-ut, V. S. A. Age 21, l)e)rn May 10, 1885, at Woe:)dl)Ury, 
Connecticut. Daughter of Seymour Langdon and Julia Elizabeth (Sax- 
ton) Capewell (2. S.) 

23. CAROLINE ELIZABETH CAPEWELL.— \A'oodbuiy, Connccti- 
eait, r. S. A. Age V>r)^ horn Dec. bs, ISlO, in New York. Daughter eif 
George Augustus and Harriet A. (Davis) Capewell. Married Dec. 28, 



T]IK ( Al'KWKLL FAMILY. 1/ 

1858 at Woodlairv, Conn., to James {^heWon Stone, son of Sheldon and 
Julia A. Stone. "Born Dec. lO, 1S:',H, at Woodbury. Died Jan. 80, IHSVA 
of Pneumonia, aged oS: l)ui'ied at Woodbury, ('onn. 

Children: Mary Elizabeth, Henry James, Ellen Louise, Fannie 
Maria and George Sheldon Stoiie. 



10. DAISY MAY CAPEWELL.— Box 14, Oakville, Connecticut, U. 
S. A, Age 24, burn Novemlter 2, 1882, at Oakville, Litchfield County, 
Conn, Daughter of Walter Stanley and Jennie Augustus (Lewis) Cape- 
well (2(», W.). Married June 22, li)()l, by Episcopal clergyman at Oak- 
ville, Coini. to William Davis Andrews, wlio was born Nov. o, 1882, at 
Ansonia, New Llaven C<)unty, Conn. 

They have had one child, A\'alt(i' Capevell Andrews, who died in 
infanc-v. 



21. EMMA GERTRUDE CAPEWELL.— 733 Norfolk Street, Matta- 
pati, Boston, Massachusetts, U. S. A. Age 25, born May 20, 1881, at 
{)reseiit address. Educated at Tileston Grammar and Roxbury High 
Scliools. Daughter of William Wright (deceased) and Emma Geneva 
(Wells) Capewell (30. E.). 

22. EMMA L. CAPEWELL.— T41 Park Avenue, Collingswood, New 
Jersey, U, S. A. Age 60, born Feb. 10, 1846, at Second and Kaighns Av- 
enue, Camden, N. J. Daughter of John and Sarah L. (Austin) Capewell 
(both deceased). 

23. EDNA LAVINA CAPEWELL.— 458 Kaighn Avenue, Camden, 
New Jersey, U. S. A. Age 9, born Dec. 9, 1896, at Westville, N. J. 
Daughter of Mark Anthony and Whillie (Batt) Capewell (1. M.). 

24. ELLEN CAPEWELL.— Woodbury, Connecticut, U. S. A.. Age 
58, born Jan. 10, 1848, at Woodbury, Conn. Daughter of the late Joseph 
Thomas, and Sarah Ann (Pitt) Cai)ewel]. Married Dec. 3, 1870, at Dover, 
New York, to Frank J. Atwood, born at Woodbury, Conn., May 15, 1844. 

They have eight children : Edna E., Frank G.^ Isabel, Bertha I., Els- 
worth J., Wan-en S., Margaret B. and Grover C. Atwood. 

25. EMILY CAPEWELL.— Oakville, Connecticut, U. S. A. Age 
(■>1, i)orn Dec. 8, 1845, at Woodbury, Conn. Daughter of Joseph Thomas 
and Sarah Ann (Pitt) Ca})ewell. Married October 22, 1865, at Brewsters, 
New York, by Methodist minister, to George Lewis Beardslee, born June 
8, 1840, at Bridgewater, Conn. 

They have four children : George Joseph, born Dec. 18, 1866, at 
Wootlbury, Conn., died Aug. 4, 1886, at Oakville, Conn., aged 19. Buried 
at Watertovvn, Conn.; Lewis Wells, age 29, born March 12, 1877: Edwin 
Eugene, age 27, born Oct 11, 1878 and Gertrude Emily Beardslee, age 26, 
born Aug. 19, 1881. 

21. FRANCIS MATILDA CAPEWELL.— 45S Kaighn Avenue, 
Camden, New Jersey, LL S. A. Age 14. born Jan. 20, 1892, at Westville, 



18 THE capi:\vi-:ll fa:n[ilv. 

N. J. Daughter of Mark Anthony am! Whillie (Batt) Capewell (1. M.). 



20. HARRIET AMEILA CAPEWELL.— Woodbury, Connecticut. U. 
S, A. Age 18, born March 22, 1858, at Woodbury, Conn. Daughter of 
George Augustus and Harriet (Davis) Capewell. Married November 26, 
1879, at St Paul's Episcopal Church. Woodbury, Connecticut. l)y Kev. E. 
J. Sanford, to Stiles Curtis Russe]!, born Sept. 8, 1851. at Woodbury, 
Conn. 

21. HARRIET CAPEWELL.— 44 Wib^on Street, Stoke-on-Trent. 
Staffordshire. England. 

22. HELEN RUTH CAPEWELL.— 73 Hinsdale Avenue, Winstead, 
Conecticut, U. S. A. Age i>, liorn July (J, 1899, at Woodbury, Conn. 
Daughter of Langdon Cereno and liuth Estella (Plumb) Capewell (1. L.). 



10. IDA GARAFELIA CAPEWELL.— 969 Asylum Avenut-, Hart- 
ford, Connecticut, U. S. A. Daughter of George Jose}ih and (Jarafelia 
(Hull) Capewell (1. G.). 



40. JANE CAPEWELL.— 41: Wilson Street, Stoke-on-Trent, Eng- 
land. 

41. JULIA FREDRICA CAPEWELL.— Oakville, Connecticut, U. S. 
A. Age 62, born May 23, 1844, at Wootlbury, Conn. Daughter of the 
late Joseph Thomas and Sarah Ann (Pitt) Capewell. Mai'jitd St})t<.mber 
14, 1864. at Woodbury, l!onn. by Methodist ministei', to Charles Ezra 
Warner, born May 1, 1844, at Roxbury, Conn., died of Bronchitis, at Oak- 
ville, Conn. Nov. 7, 1903, aged 59, buried at Watei'town. Conn. 

Six children were born to this union: — 

Frederick Eugene Warner, age 40, born Oct. 23, 1865, at Roxbui-y, 
Conn. 

William Noble Warner, born July 3, 1867, at Oakville Conn. 

Charles Lewis Warner, born April 28, 1874, at Oakville, Conn. 

Berton Capewell Warner, born Nov. 11, 1877, at Oakville. Conn. 

Edwin Francis Warner, born Jan. o, 1883, at Oakville, Conn. 

Kenneth Slocum AVarner, who died in infancy. 

All of these Warner boys, with the exce})tion of Frederick Eugene, 
who is now located at Bridgeport, Conn., are operating the old original 
machine shop, established at Oakville, by their grandfather, the late 
Joseph Thomas Capewell. This shop is now known as The Baird Machine 
Company and Charles Lewis W^arner is the Treasurer and General Mana- 
ger and Berton Capewell Warner is the Superintendant. 

It is hoped that by next annual re])ort we may bave a full account 
of the shop and its officers with, possibly a few illustrations. 

42. JENNIE NAOMI CAPEWELL.— 616 Grant Street, Camden, 
New Jersey, U. S. A. Age 3, born March i2, 1903, on Cedar Street, Cam- 
den. Daughter of Charles Edgar and Ester J. (Reed) Capewell (2 C.) 



Tin-: CAI'KW KLL KAM1L>-. l*j 

10. LYDIA ANDERSON CAPEWELL.— 459 Berkley Street, Canuleii, 
New Jersey, U. S. A. Age 2(J, boni ,)uly 17, 1879, at 450 Royden Street, 
Canuleii, N. J. Daughter of Wiiitield Scott (deceased) and Melvina 
V. (Stetser) Capewell. 

Lydia A. has been an untiring and entliusiastic worker for the success 
of the Capewell History, particularly among the Capewell's of New Jersey 
and Pennsylvania; visiting among them and securing information that 
was difficult to procure. She has searched, and is still searching, public 
records and documents pertaining to the early history of the Capewell's 
in those states. The work ^Yhich she lias done and is doing is very valu- 
able and will l)e eiitereil in tlie final history that is to puldished. 

Here is a true spirited "Capewell Girl" of whom we should all feel 
proud. 

11. LOUISA B. CAPEWELL.— inc. Howard Street, Camden, New 
Jersev, V. S. A. Married Bichard Kirkbride. She is the daughter of 
William Henry and .Tanc M. (Bender) Capewell (Ki. W.). 

12. LILLIAN MAY CAPEWELL.--S(»utli Britain, Connecticut, V. 
S. A. Age o, born .)aii. II, lUOl. Daughter of Frederick Marcus and 
p]dna Klizabeth (S(iuires) Capewell (8. F.). 



11. MARY ANN CAPEWELL.— Woodbury, Connecticut, U. S. A. 
Age •')!, born April ;'>(), IMo, at Woodbury, Conn. Daughter of George 
Augustus and Harriet (Davis) Capewell. Married April oO, 18G7, at her 
home in Woodbury, Conn., by Rev. S. H. Bray, to Charles Henry Percy, 
son of ('lenient and F^ouisa Percy, born at Woo<lbury, Conn., Fel). 1, 
181;), ;iiid died Jan. 2o, 11)01, at Waterbury, Conn. Buried at Wood- 
bury, Conn. 

12. MARY ALICE CAPEWELL.— '•)(')'.» Asylum Avenue, Hartford, 
Coniiectieut, r. S. A. Dniighter of George .Toseph (the famous horse 
nail iii\-eiitoi- ) ami ( larafelin ( Hull ) Capewell ( 1 . ('< . } 

13. MARY WELLS CAPEWELL.— 7;'.;'. Norfolk Street, Mattapan, 
l^oston, Massachusetts, V. S. A. Age 22, born D c. B), bS83, at 737 
Norfolk Street, educated at Tileston Grammar and Roxbury High Schools. 
Daught<'r of \\'illiam \\'right (deceased) and Emma Geneva (Wells) 
('apewell (:".(). F.). 

14. MABELLE ANN CAPEWELL. — Woodbury, Connecticut, U. S. 
A. Age 22, lioni .luiie 25, 1881, at Woodbuiy, Conn. Daughter of 
Seymour I^angdoii and .Tulin Elizabeth (Saxtoii) Capewell (2. S.). 

15. MARGARET MAY CAPEWELL.— 4oS Kaiglins Avenue, Cam- 
den, New Jersey, U. S. A. Age 111, liorii Jan. 21), 188* , at Cedar and 
Dickinson Streets, Philadelphia, Pa., educated at ^^'estville, N. J. She 
is the daughter of Mark Anthony and Whillie (Batt) Capewell (1. M.) 

16. MELVINA VIRGINIA CAPEWELL.— (it H Grant Street, Cam- 
den, New .b'rsey, I'. S. A. Age 1, born Feb. 24, IDOo, at above address. 
Daughter of Charles Edgar, and Ester .1. (Reed) Capewell (2. C). 



20 THE (APKWIll.L FAMILY. 

12. MARY ALICE CAPEWELLL.— 1)()9 Ai^ylum Avenue, Hartford, 
Connecticut, V. S. A. Daugliter of George Joseph, the famous horse 
nail in venter, and Garafelia (Hull) Gapewell (1. (J.) 



10. PEARL MAY CAPEWELL. - l[at(likissvil!c, ('(.nnect=cut. V. 
ti. A. Daughter of W'iUiani Charles and Mar.v(Miscrez) Capewell(17.\\' ) 
Age' 3, l)orn Nov. ;>(), VJO'-], at Hatchkissville, Gonn. 



10. RUTH DOROTHY CAPEWELL.— 42") Wasliington Street, Cam- 
den, New Jersey, V. S. A. Age 2, horn ^hinli ;'>, 1*.)()4, at 4;>1 Spruce 
Street, Camden. Daughter of I'aUherford Hayes and I.inda D. (Harhe- 
son) Capewell. (l.U. ) 

11. RUBY OLIVE CAPEWELL.— Hntclddssville, Connecticut U. S. 
A. Daughter (if William Charles and .Mai-y ( Miserez) Capewell (17. W.). 
Age (>, horn at Oakvillc Conn., Aug. 24, 1S<)«). 



10. SALLIE JULIA CAPEWELL. P. lOl Ninth Str.it, N. W., 
Washington, District of Columhia, I'. S. A. Age 2(i, Itoni August 1, 
ISSl, at Camden, N. J. Daughter of William Henry and Jane M. (Ben- 
der) Capewell. Married Aug. 1, 11)01, at Washington, D. C, to Otto C. 
Haarer, horn Jan. 2o, 1.S79, at Zanesville, Ohio. 

11. SUSAN PRICILLA CAPEWELL.— 11 >0:', Broadway, Camden, 
New Jersey, U. S. A. Age S 4, horn -luly 27, 1<S22, at South Boston, 
Massachusetts. Daughter of Joseph and Maria (Hodges) Capewell^ 
(hoth deceased ) . Married April IS, 1S.S9, at Philach'lphia. Pa., l.y 
Episcopal minister, to John C. Wallace, who died. Jan. 8, 1,S71, of ty- 
phoid pneumonia. Buried at Evergreen Cemetery, N. J. 

Ten children: Marion B., Helen M., William M., Maria K., Wilson 
K., Alonzo A., Clara B., Julia C. and John C. Wallace. 

Susan P. is the oldest living Capewell in America, and the first one 
horn on American soil (unless the CapwclTs are proven to he Capewell's, 
in the event of which, they nmst he given precedence, as they were in 
America first). She has heen a good wife and mother, and is loved hy 
all who know her, is well, happy and contented and a living proof of the 
good material of which the Capewell girls are made. 

12. SARAH ANN CAPEWELL.— <S2:5 West Main Street, Waterhury, 
Connecticut. U. S. A. Age ()•">, liorn Octolier 7, 1840, at Woodhury. 
Connecticut. Daughter of the late Joseph Thomas and Sarah Ann (Pitt) 
Capewell. 

Her first marriage was July 1, ISoS, at her home in Woodhury, 
Conn., to Henry Sherman Conrad, son of William Henry Conrad, horn 
Dec. 14, ISoS, at Brookfield, Conn. He wa3 a scddier in the Union 
Army during the Civil War, and was stationed at Donaldsville, New 
Orleans, where he contracted swamp fever and died ^larch 17, 1862, at 
the youthful age of 24. 



I'lIK (Al'IAVKI.L I'AMILI . 21 

T\vo children were born to this union; William Henry Conrad, who 
died in infanej", and Walter .Janies C(>nrad, horn Nov. 22, IcSGO, at New 
Haven Conn., now of Oakville, Conn., employed as tool maker I)}' The 
Baird Maeliine Company, which was the former plant of his grandfather, 
Joseph Ihoiuas Capewell. 

Second mairiage; April 1, 18()G, at her sisters home in Southhury, 
Conn, to (Tcorge Warner, son of Niram and Sylvia (Atwood) Warner, 
horn April 2S, l.SlJS. died April 10. 1888, of Apoplexy, at Waterhury, 
Conn, aged oO. Biu-ied at Woodlairy, Conn. One child was born to this 
union; Ellen Capewell Warner, lx)rn Jan. 21, 1868. 

Tiiird niarriag(^; July 8, ■ I'.lOo, at Waterl»ury, Conn, parsonage, to 
Burr ]3enhani, son of Lewis and Louisa (King) B^nham, born at Nauga- 
tuck, Conn., Oct. lo, 1846, and died at W^aterlmry, Conn., of apoplexy, 
Dec. 31, UIO"), aged oi). Buried at Waterhury, Conn. 



DEATHS. 



Lender this heading, all deaths occuring during the year will be re- 
corded. Please do not fail to send in a full account of same, including 
cause of death and place of bni-ial. 



CHARLES WILLIAM CAPEWELL. 221 AtterclifT Ccnnn.vn. Shef- 
tield, Kngland. Age 26. died Sept. 2."), IDOo. Relatives, cause of death 
and place of burial, unknown. 



WILLIAM HENRY CAPEWELL.— Known tc his friends and family 
as Harry Capewell, age :')7,. Died Nov. o, 1906, of yellow fever, at New 
Orleans, Louisanna, V. S. A. 

He was a son of Mark Anthony and Whillie (Batt) Capewell, of 458 
Kaighn Avenue, Camden, New Jersey. It seems that Harry had gone 
to New Orleans with his uncle (on his mother's side) William Foulds, to 
assist in constructing a new sewerage system for that city. It was at the 
time of the yellow fever scourge and it seems a pity that of the few Cape- 
well's in America one should be caught, and then, too, when he was the 
only Capewell in that whole city. 

MAUD EVELYN CAPEWELL.— Age 22, born June 11, 1882, at 
Kensington Avenue, Kensington, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, V. S. A. 
Daughter of William Henry (deceased) and Mary Rebecca (Oldershaw) 
Capewell. 

Married July 27, 1U02 to Percival F. Chewning, at Jersey City, New 



•>•? 



Till': CAl'EWKT.L FAMILY. 



JcrsL'y, fi\)ni whciiee tliej' uiuved ti» tlicir bt'autiful cdiiiitry placL' at Mt. 
Washington , Maiyland . 

Mrs Cliewning died Dec S, li)()4, while on a visit to tlie home of her par- 
ents-in-hiw, at 1.S15 North Payson Street, Baltimore, ^laryland. 

She was Imried, Dee. 11, in Loudon Park Cemetery, Paliimore. 

She was the sister of C'larenee L. (o. ('. ) an<l ]<h-nest i'apewelKo.K. ). 



BURR BENHAM.— :\rarried July 8, 1!»()."), to Sarah Ann Capewell— 
Warner, (1:^. S.) daugl.iter of the late Joseph Thomas and Sarah ( I'itt ) 
Capewell. Died, Dec. 31, 1905, of apoplexy, at Waterlniry, Conn. Age 
•")!). Buried at A\'aterhurv. 



K 

1. EDWIN CAPEWELL.— (Ilehe Hotel, Stoke-on-Trent, Stafford- 
shire, England. 

2. EDWIN CAPEWELL.— Lower Leigh, near Stoke on-Trent, Staf- 
fordshire, England. Son of Charles, (of " Duglands Farm," Fradesvell, 
Deceased. ) His son is (xcorge, (S. (i. ) of Ikn-mhurst. 

3. ERNEST HENRY CAPEWELL. —K'. St. Ives Mount, Armley 
Leeds, England. Son of Joseph, (1. J.) of Beeston. Brothers; Joseph 
John, (2. J.) of Wakefield, George Sidney, (2. G.) of Leeds, and Arthur 
Claud, (4. A.) of Beeston. 

4. ERNEST JAMES CAPEWELL.— 40 London Road, Stoke-on- 
Trent, Staffordshire, England. Son of FreiU'riek Baddeley, ( 1. F. ) of 
Hartshill. 

5. ERNEST CAPEWELL.— 412 Mercer Street, Gloucester, New Jer- 
sey, U . S. A. Son of William Henry (deceased) and Mary Rehecca 
(Oldershaw ) Capewel 1 . 

6. ELIJAH CAPEWELL.— o(i Bertha Road, Spark Hill, Birming- 
ham, p]ngland. Age 44, l)orn at Netherton, near Dudley, Staffordshire, 
Jan, 4, 1<SG2. Son of Iildward Capewell, of Netherton; Avho died Wed- 
nesday, Nov. 16, 18()4, aged 28, in an accident at Nock c\: Woods' colliery 
near Dudley, when Elijah was but two years old. 

7. EUGENE RALPH CAPEWELL.— 741 Park Avenue, Collings- 
w^ood, New Jersey, U. S. A. Age 14, son of ICugene Edgai-, and Anna 
Francis (Wriggins) Capewell (0. E.). Px-rn July 27, 1S»)2, at oP.) Tren- 
ton Avenue, Camden, New Jersey. 

8. ELIJAH CAPEWELL.— .IC. Bertha Road, Spark Hill, liirming- 
ham, England. 



THE CAPKWELL 1 A.MIL\\ 28 

9. EUGENE EDGAR CAPEWELL.— 741 I'ark Aviur', (ullingswoud, 
New Jersey, U. S. A. Age •")•"). Son of -Jolin and Sarah L. (Austin) 
("apewel! ( hothgdeceased ) . He was burn Nov. 24, 1851, at Second and 
Kaiglni Avenue, educated at Kaighn school, Newton Ave. and Chestnut 

Street. 

Mari'ied .lune •"). ISS."), Uy Uev. Heinsler, a Methodist minister, at 
Sixth and Lindi'U Streets, Camden, Xew Jersey, to Anna Francis A\"rig- 
gins, l)orn July 15, 1850, at Harrisonville, N. J. 

Tliev have two childri'n ; I\'rcival Howe, (1. P.) and Eugene Kalph 
(7. E.) Capi'well. 

1. FREDERICK BADDELEY CAPEWELL.— 29 (ionlon Street, 
Hartshill, Stoke-on Trent. Staffordshire, England. Age n~), is an artist, 
and quite a successful one; having risen through pluck and determination 
and the merits of his w(n-k Jle has just completed painting two 815,000 
dinner sets: one for Charles M. Schaub, the famous V. S. steel magnate, 
and the other for one of .1. i*. Morgan's partners. 

lie has taken a deep interest in the "Capewell History" having 
searched the poling lists of the pottery district and helped in other ways. 

His children are Frederick Edward, (2. F.) of Fldinhurg, Scotland, 
and Ernest James, (4. E.) of Stoke-on-Trent. P]ngland. 

2. FREDERICK EDWARD CAPEWELL.— 4 Jialfour Place, Leitli 
Walk, Edinburg, Scotland. Son of P'rederick Baddeley Capewell, (1. F.) 
of Hartshill, England. 

3. FREDERICK CHARLES CAPEWELL.— (iold Hill, Southwell, 
Xottingliamshire, England. Son of (Jiarles \Mlliam (l.C.). 

4. F. E. CAPEWELL.— Cri(4vct (iround, Joliniount, Mell)ourne 
\'ictoria. Australia. 

5. F. R. CAPEWELL.— Caverswall, near Stoke-on-Trent, Stafford- 
shire, England. 

6. FREDERICK CAPEWELL.— 1 Terrace Street, Hyson Creen, 
Nottingham, England. 

7. FRANK EUGENE CAPEWELL.— ('.!) Church Street, Hartford, 
Connecti<'Ut, C. S. A. Son of (ieorge Augustus and Harriet (Davis) 
Capewell (both deceased ). 

8. FREDERICK MARCUS CAPEWELL.— South Britain, Connecti- 
cut, r. S. A. Age 28, born Api'il 27, ls7S, at Woodbury, Conn. Son 
of Seymour Langdon and Elizabeth .lulia (Saxton) Capewell (2. S.). 

Married Oct. 25, 1898, at South ]^>ritain, Comi., to P]dna I^llizabeth 
Squires, born Jan. 21, 1882, at Koxbury, Conn. 

They have two children; (ieorge Henry, (17. C.) and Eillian May 
(12. \..). 

9. FRANK LE ROY CAPEWELL. — 1 174 Kaighn Aveiuie, Camden, 
New Jersey, V. S. A. Age oo, son of William Henry (Kb W.) and Jane 



2-1: TlIK CAI'IsW i:iX I'A.MILV. 

M. (Ik'iider) C'api'Wrll. liorii Sept (1, 1S78, ;it -!")(1 C'licstiiut Stri't't, edu- 
cated at Fetters .school, Third and Mt \'ci'iioii Streets, ^[arried Dec. 17, 
ISOS, at 101 o S. Second Street, By Rev. .1. X. Snape, a IJaptist minister, 
to Violetta Lord, liorn July 31. hSTli, at 101 ;; Mcclianic Street. ("aiiKh'U, 
N. J. They have one son, Frank Fe Roy Capewell, Jr. (10. F.) 

10. FRANK LE ROY CAPEWELL, JR. — 1174 Kaighn Avenue, 
Camden, New Jersey, F. S. A. Age (>, son of Frank Leroy and Violetta 
(L')rd) Capewell (o'. F. ). Born Jan. 21), liKK), at 1120 S. Second Street, 
Camden, X. J. 

1 GEORGE JOSEPH CAPEWELL.— '.IC.'.) Asylum Avmuc, Hart- 
ford, Connecticut, F. S. A. Age (VA, son oF Mark Anthony and Fliza- 
beth (Titcond)e) Capewell (hoth deceased ) . Born June 2(), \>>V-'>, in 
Birmingham, Fnghuid. Fducateil ;it \\\)odlniry, Conn. 

Married March 20, FStU, to (iarafelia Hull, at St. Peter's Episcopal 
Church, Cheshire, Coim. 

His children are George Joseph, Jr., ( IC. (C ) Ida Garafelia, (lO.L. ) 
and Mary Alice (12. M.) Capewell. 

George Joseph is the inventer of the "Capewell Hoi-se Xail," famous 
all over the world as the best horse nail ever made. 

He is the Vice-President and Superintendent of the "Capewell Hor.se 
Xail Company'," which has large factories at Hartford. Connecticut, U. 
S. A., Toronto, Canada and Millwall, London; whieli last are al>out to 
be enlarged and moved to the Midlands, Hadley, near Wellington, Eng- 
land, and is occupying most of the time and attention of George Joseph 
at present. They also have otlices in all the leading commercial cities in 
the world. 

It would l)e imi)ossil)le, with the limited space at hand, to give even 
a faint idea of the magnitude of this great industry whicli bears the name 
of "Capewell" through the influence, energy and indomitable pluck of 
this great inventor, George Joseph Capewell, who has done more than any 
other, and is even now striving, to make the name of Capewell famous 
throughout the world. 

"The Evening Post," one of the k'ading newspapers of Hartford. 
Connecticut, issued in li)00 a large l)ook, giving historical sketches of the 
leading citizens of that city, among whicli is one of George Josej^h, de- 
scrildng his early struggles and ultimate success, offset with a few hand- 
some illustrations. 

The following is a reproduction of the article, almost A'ETUj.vTm i-rr 
LITERATIM, and will prove more than interesting and encouraging to the 
readei'. 



THE CAPEWELL FAMILY. 



'2h 



GEOROE JOSEPH CAPEW^EI.E, 



HARTFORD, CO>'X, 




GEORGE JOSEPH CAPEWELL. 



GEORGE JOREPH CAPEWELL, Vice-President mid Superinten- 
dent of tlie Capewell Horse Nail Company, of Hartford, who comes of 
xcellent lineage, is one of the most prominent manufacturers and in- 



26 THE CAPEWELL FAMILY. 

ventors in the United States, if not in the worhh His career lias l)een a 
remarkable one, and illustrates what mind and will can do in the long 
run. 

Mr Cap^well's tenacity of purpose has brought him to the tup, and 
it is Hartford's boast that he is one of the men who has done nmch 
toward making the city known the world over. 

Mr. Capewell was born in Birmingham, England, .June 26, 1S43, the 
son of ]Mark Anthony and Jane Elizabeth (Titcombe) Capewell. 

The Capewell family that is now so distinguished a name in Hartford 
and tlux»ughout the world, is descended from Howe Capell of Hereford, 
England, whence is derived the name Hertford or Hartford, as we call it. 

The family has a coat of arms somewhat after the similitude of the 
Prince of A\'ales; three ostrich feathers being conspicuous. The motto is 
"Fide et Fortitudine." 

jNIark Capewell, the grandfather of George J. Capewell who has made 
the name so widely known, was born in Dudley, England, and married 
^lary Southall of Birmingliam Heath, whose Iirother ^^'illiam was a nnil 
manufacturer. ]Mark worked for Lord Hanks in his famous glass works, 
and liad great ingenuity. 

Two of the three sons of this union, George and Joseph, came to 
\A'oodbury aljout 1840, l)eing followed l)y the third brother, jNIark, 'in 1844. 

George Joseph Capewell, the inventor, and Jane Eliza, his sister, 
were both born in Birmingham, England, and came over with their 
mother, Jane Elizabeth, shortly after their father liad settled in A\'ood- 
Imry, where he died Octolier 27, 1854. 

Mrs. Capewell had promised (rrandfather Capewell, who was quite 
old, that she would not leave England while he was living. 

She remained with him to the last, and then rejoined her husband, 
wlio, after establishing himself in Imsiness, intended to return for her 
and tlie children. 

They made the trip, an ever memorable one, in the ship "Queen of 
the West," and landed in New York. December 24, 1845. 

Those were the days of weeks and weeks of voyaging l;)etween Great 
Britain and America; there were none of the conveniences of modern 
travel. 

Inventor Capewell's uncle, Joseph Thomas, married Sarah Pitt, who 
is said to have come from the same line as AMlliam Pitt. Earl of Chatham. 

This Sarah Pitt was the daughter of John Pitt, who served in the 
British Army under ^^■ellington, who was discharged, after being wound- 
ed by fragments of a l)ombshell. 

He came to this country- in February, 1848, and died in 1870, at the 
age of 79. 

He was every inch a soldier, and there are many instances on record 
in England of his great c(turage. 

When his father came to this country, it was his desire to settle in 
Springfield, but, having stopped to see his two V)rothers, they induced 
him to remain in A\"oodbury. He had brought with him machinery to 



THE I'APEWELL FAMILY. 2/ 

nmnufactniv sporting goods, including sliot tops, powder tiasks, etc., and 
consented to establish a factory at ^\■oodbury, taking his brothers into 
partnership. 

He was in a short time attacked witli lingering consumption, and 
<lied when the sul)ject of this sketch was only twelve years old. 

This tlircw the boy upon the cruel mercies of the world at an ex- 
tremely tender agi', Ijut lie was equal to the task. At first he worked in 

the factory with his uncles, Ijut later, being rather a frail boy, it was 

thoiigiit farming would prove beneficial to him. His first experience was 
a ]amental)le one. 

Because he could not hold down the plow when it encountered roots 
and stones, he was cursed by the hired overseer, and at length, resenting 
this treatment, he was determined to surrender his engagement, and 
entered upon another of the same kind. 

In this, it was not the cruel hired overseer he encountered, but a 
stern employer instead. There has been times when everything looked 
<larktohim. l)ut through it all, his indomitable pluck, courag^^ and de- 
termination have sustained him. 

Now lie is Avhere he can sympathize with the "underdog" in the 
struggle. After years of liard work and weary waitings, he has achieved 
unparalelled success. 

After leaving the farm, having kept his engagement and served ad- 
ditional time to prevent any imi:)lication of unfairness lieing made, he 
went to Waterbury when less than sixteen years of age, and secured a 
position at the Scoville works, with Capt. B. F. Curtis, of Woodbury, 
who was setting up the thimble plant he had sold to tlie larger company. 

He soon developed into a mechanic of exceptional aldlity, and Capt. 
Curtis promoted him to an excellent position. This was in February, 
LS;")*). 

In January, bS(;(), he was offered an engagement with Charles W. 
Johnson, the leading builder of machinery in Waterbury. 

Here he improved his time until August, l.S(i2, making liiniself 
thoroughly familiar with machinery. 

Just at that time the Cheshire .Manufacturing Company, of Clieshire, 
wanted a mechanical superintendent for its cloth and fancy l)Utton de- 
partment in which it was doing a tine business. 

He consulted with Mr. Johnson in reference to a very flattering otTer 
that had l)een made him, and finally accepted the position with ^Ir. 
Johnson's best wishes. He soon became a stock holder and director in 
the company, and he still holds the stock as a good inve.'tment. 

His ambition was by no means satisfied, for lie wanted to become a 
noted inventor: not for tlie sake of fame nor for the money involv(xl, l)ut 
because it was in him. There could lie no rest for liim until something 
of great use to the community had lieen evolved . 

In 1870, he went into business for himself; nianufacturing specialties 
of his own invention — button-fastening machines, wrenches and articles 
of light hardware. 



28 THE CAPEWELL FAMILY. 

Among the last named was the "giant nail puller," a standard arti- 
cle in use now: the button fastener being also a staple. 

The nail puller was such a pronounced success, that in 1883 he ac- 
cepted a good offer for the patent, including a share in the business: but 
the rest of the business he retained, conducting it at a handsome profit 
until 1881. 

In that wonderful centennial year, 1876, he began his life-work — the 
invention of an automatic machine for making horse nails. Early and 
late, through good and through evil he worked. Difficulties of all 
sorts confronted him, Imt he persevered. 

Financial troul^le all but overwhelmed him, but he recognized nt> 
such word as surrender, and kept up the fight. The outlook was dark, 
but the horoic inventor worked on. Machine after machine had to l»e 
melted up; thousands of dollars were spent in a moment, yet he shut his 
mouth all the more firmly and worked on. 

The experience of these several years was so dark that Mr. Capewell 
says he would not have begun his work had he known through wbat an 
ordeal it was to lead him: l)ut we believe that he would have dared to do 
so, for it would have been death for him to stop. 

He was born to the work. Every])ody treml)led for him, even his 
family who stood nobly by him in all his difiiculties. Friends pleaded 
Avith him to desist, but he heeded not their siren voices. He was bound 
to win or die, and win he did. 

In the autumn of 1880 and the winter of 1881, his perfected machine 
was exhibited to capitalists in Hartford, whither he was led to come 
from Cheshire in the hope of interesting the moneyed men. 

The Capewell Horse Nail Company was organized after some heroic 
struggles in its behalf. He then sold out his Cheshire business, tliat it 
might not he a dug upon him, and cast his whole future with the nev,' 
enterprise . 

To put the concern upon its feet, Mr. Capewell felt obliged to pledge 
himself to the other stock holders that he would not draw anything for 
salary or expenses until the company reached a paying basis, and wliile 
this made the sacrifice a great one, even then, some of the stock holders 
were not satisfied, and became discouraged and droppe<l out: but ^Ir. 
Capewell fought on. He knew he had a good thing, and that a rich har- 
vest was awaiting him and his associates. 

For seven long years he toiled without price, and then the sun shone. 

Companies were organized in London and other cities abroad. 

In 1892, the extensive works of the company in this city were com- 
pleted, and on Mr. Capewell's fiftieth Ijirthday, June 26, 1893, the great 
engine was started up by his son, George Joseph Capewell, Jr., with nota- 
ble ceremonies commemorative of the happy event. 

Many people ask, " What is this automatic Horse nail machine?" 

It is a veritable wonder. JNIodels of it were exhiliited at the recent 

World's Fair and secured the indorsement of experts and managers of 

every description. 



THE CAPEWELL FAMILY. 20 

Horse nails used to Ix^ made by hand, with many processes requiring 
the labor of man3^ persons. 

A majority of the nails sold throughout the United States and Great 
Britain, are made by the Capewell Company, and sold for half the price 
of the old forge kind, and favorably known in all parts of the world. 

Tliey are, also, not only cheaper, but lietter; the temper of the iron 
1 icing made nearly perfect and no Ijreakages occurring under the head, 
which was the great fault of tlie hand-made nail. The Capewell machine 
is automatic; and if an imperfection in the result of any part of the pro- 
cess, the machine detects it and stops, indicating by a pointer where the 
error \\er.. 

Thus, one l)oy can attend four machines, each machine capalile o 
producing over six hundred pounds of average sized nails everj' day of ten 
hours: or, in more understandal)le language to the non-expert, each ma- 
chine will produce one hundred and ten nails a minute. 

The iron used is imported from Sweden in coils and annealed for the 
purpose of equalizing the temper and tension, then it is plunged into an 
aeid liath, then into lime-water to remove all trace of acid rust or other 
cxtrani ous matter which is of vital cfmsequcnce. The coil is then played 
off to a drum and subjected to a spccilic strain which slightly reduces its 
bulk and prepares it for the machine. 

On a reel, liigh up on the machine it is then placed, and introduced, 
with a slight lulirication, Iietween sets of small cylinders in v.-hich dies 
are embedded. A knife cuts off a Int of the wire, and this is passed on 
tln-ougli eiglit doudle sets of dies by whieli all sides of the metal are 
treated. It is elongated, pohited and headed, and drops down at the bot- 
tom, a perfect horse nail; one hundred and ten a minute. 

Mai'velous mechanism! Tligli productivity! Crown of the inventor's 
glory ! 

Tlie waste in this method is rarely nmre than six or seven per cent, 
while by the old method it was twenty to forty per cent. 

The next best machine method to the Capewell is almost as far l)e- 
hind it as the hand system is behind that of machinery. 

To turn out as many nails as are turned out l;)y four Capewell ma- 
chines with one boy attending them all, twelve furnaces are required, 
with twelve forging machines, twelve skilled workmen, three supervising 
experts, ten finishing ma(diines and ten women. Surely the invention is 
the great disturber and creator of values. 

There is always a reason for the invention of an article — a reason 
that is objective and also subjective. 

The demand of the community for the article to be invented is one of 
the impelling forces, but there must be another, — the tendency of the 
genius of the inventor. There must be somewhere in the individual the 
aliility to produce the article, the al)ility to conceive that the production 
of the article is feasible and is demanded. 

Frequently this ingenuity appears to spring from a mind that has no 
support in heredity; that enters the field of itself, without any incentive 



3() THE CAPEWELL 1 AMILV. 

from fathe'i'S (H- grandfatliers. A careful iiKiuiry, liowL-vcr, will usually 
show tliat this quickness of perception as to what is possihle to invent, 
and what is needed most in the community, in the way of economising 
lal)ov and material, is inherited. Somewhere hack in the family history 
is an individual of ahility who has signalized himself l)y ahility and in- 
genuity in mechanics. 

This fact may he concealed until the inventor, moved I»y an impulse 
lu' cannot withstand, producs the article that is of such great value to 
the world, and which, when produced, makes him to rank with the Bcss- 
emer's and Stephenson's, the Whitney's and the Edison's. Then the 
intvlligent pulilic inquires, "Whence this creative genius?" 

And lo! and l)ehold, it is found to come as natuvaUy as the rivers 
from their head-waters, or life from the great source of light. 

Frequently ^Ir. Capewell has heen asked l.ow^ he eame to think of in- 
venting his mac] line for making horse shoe nails. 

Years ago wdien he was a hoy in old Woodlmry, tlie idea came to 
him. He took the horses to the Macksmitlrs to have tht m sliod, and 
whiU' waiting, watched the operations of the lilacksmith as he made the 
shoes and the nails. 

It oecured to him then, a Itoy not yet in his teens, that there could 
he a more rapid and a lietter way of producing horse nails than hy hand- 
work at the forge and anvil. 

This idea, however, lay dormant until INTO, when he thought of the 
kind of machine to produce them. At that time there Avere machines, 
hut nothing like that now making at least half the horse nails used in the 
United States. 

But the idea conceived was carried out hy the ingenuit}' infused into 
his hlood by several of his ancestors. His father was an ingenious man, 
and invented the sporting goods ho made in \\\)odhury : l»ut farther hack, 
vas one, Southall, on Grandmother ('apewell's side, who in England, 
years ago, was a manufacturer of horse nails. He used to supply the 
villagers with iron and they w^ould make the nails on anvils and in forges 
just outside their hovises. 

The wdiole village, nearly, would be at the work, receiving their pay 
when they turned l)ack their goods made up. 

We can thereft)re, in Mr. Capewell's case, easily see wdiere his inven- 
tive genius came from, and wdiy it was most naturally directed to a horse 
nail. 

The Capewell horse nail machine has proven a rich mine for all who 
have been interested in it; but it is by no means the only invention of 
Mr. Capewell that has been a protitable one, either to Mr. Capewell or to 
others . 

The giant nail puller is now made and sold all over the Avorld. 
There is hardly a merchant that can do w^ithout one of these powerful 
nail lifters, in pulling the lids off. packing boxes, and in doing a thousand 
and one odd jobs, in a quick and easy manner. 

But even the giant nail puller is an infant in usefulness as a means 
of profit, to the cone Vmtton. 



THE (Ari<:WELL FAMILY, 31 

With his riglit in tliis, ^Nlr. Capcwcll parted some years ago; hut the 
invention has gi>ne on in profit fc)r its promoters since then, in a remark- 
ahle degree. The Itutton is used on trousers and other garments, and is 
indispensihle. 

One of its forms is the hachelor's huttons. with which every thouglit- 
ful traveh'r provides liimself 

And it is pro))al)le that Mr. Capewell will liring more honor and 
profit to hims'df in tlie 3'ears to come, l)y the completion of a sei-ies of in- 
ventions on wliich he is now working, for the improvement of tlie means 
of transjnitting electrical power to elevate(l and surface raili'oads. 

Through all his career, Mr. Capewell has not overlooked his fellows; 
lie has heen sympathetic with all his emploj'ces, and there is no corpora- 
tion anywhere that treats its help more liberally and kindly than the 
Capewell Horse Nail Company. Everything is done for tlicir comfort and 
<'onvenience, l)eing assisted when in need, and cared for win n sick. 

An aid society is part of the company's equipment. 

Having risen through great difficulties to his present lionorahle posi- 
tion, he realizes what toil is, and how want paralyzes activity. 

Th .re is no more instructive incident in ^Ir. Capewell's career, than 
that when lir and his associates were, in 1<S87, trying to secure a treasurer 
of pi- nninenee, that th( ir company might I)e assisted. 

It was when thei-e was a critical time in the history of the whole en- 
terprise. 

In addition to not rec-iving a penny for his services, Mr. Capewell 
hail first agreed to I'elinciuish the payment of twenty-five thousand dol- 
lars, due him when the company had made fifty thousand dollars. 

Some of the faint-hearted stock-holders were not satisfied with this. 

Finally, Mr. Capewell and his friends decided on a change of man- 
agement, and the pursuit oF a more vigorous policj^ This led them to 
look up a man of ])rominence for treasurer. 

Mr. Capi'well nnist t"ll the story in liis own forcil»le way, an aceoimt 
of whicli he gives in his speech. 

It is no wonder that Mr. Capewell has achieved success, for he has 
deserved it; and his l)est memorials are the appreciation of his friends in 
Hartford and elsi'wliere, and the magnificent works of the Capewell Horse 
Nail Company. 

These works are the pride of a city, wherein are many large factories, 
and much to charm the eye and inform the mind. 

An inspection of the factories reveals a wilderness of machines that 
have revolutionized one of the great industries of the world. 

In profusion, they appear all busily at work, producing horse nails to 
supply at least one-half of the demands for this kind of product. 

They continue at their l)usiness as though possessed of human intelli- 
gence. 

.\ part of the works is devoted also to the manufacture, l)y skilled 
mechanics, of machines and parts of machines. 



o2 THE CAPEWELL FA^rILV, 

This is a well equipped machine shop, operated lu' the best men; for 
it is the aim of the Capewell Company to employ none Imt the hest. 

In still another part of the completely furnished structures, which 
are tlie result of Mr. Cap^'woll's marvelous ingenuity, the horse nails are 
made n-ady for market, being put up in tasty packages. 

Everywhere, from basement to the top Hoor, from front to rear and 
frcnn side to side, appaar evidences of the workings of that master-mind, 
which first invented the Capewell machine, and tlien contrived the Ixst 
l)ossible quarters in which to make and operate them. 

With Mr. Capewell in the midst of it all, crowned as the mighty ge- 
nius of the place, the ordinary citizen can best grasp the potency of a crea- 
tive ffenius. 

He who makes a value like this is indeed a man of power. 

May they bend to his creative mind. 

In addition to his connection with the Cayewell Ccn paiiy, Mr. Capt- 
well has a variety of other iucerests. 

Of the American Specialty Company, which makes many of his in- 
ventions, he is its president. 

It is sufficient as an illustration of the fertility of Mr. CapeAvell's in- 
ventive genius, to state that in addition to the forty or titty patents 
granted to him for the horse nail machines in this country and abicad, he 
has taken out over one hundred patents in other lines. 

Some of these have been the foundation of large industries. Mr. 
Capewell is still striving to benefit mankind by the Avoik of his niird. 

He is studying the problem of rapid transit, and endeavoiing to im- 
prove the elevated and surface roads. 

Mr. Capewell is a member of the Masonic Fraternity and of the Hart- 
ford Republican Club. He is also a member of the Hardware Club of 
New York. 

Mr. Capewell's married life has been unusually pleasant. He mar- 
ried Garafelia Hull, March 20, 1864, and of this union there are three 
children ; Ida C, Mary A. and George J. Capewell, Jr. 

Mrs. Capewell ccmes of one of the ttst juid eldest fjmilits in ll,e 
United States, many of whose members have been ju'omiuent in various 
lines of usefulness. 

October 31, 1898. at a banquet of the officers and selling agents of 
the Capewell Horse Kail Company, Mr. Capewell, as modest as are almost 
all men of genius and greatness, read a sketch of his great trials and won- 
derful success, which sketch may be rated as a little classic in the indus- 
trial world. 

This should be scattered broadcast for the encouragement of youth 
and all others who are too apt to be discouraged when the clouds gather 
and no door seems opening to them in the grewsome future. 



THE CAPEAVELL FAMIXV. 3B 



MR. CAP2:'WELL'S ADDRESS. 



Brother officers of the Capewell Horse Kail Conii)any, and represtrjt- 
atives of its branches: 

I am glad to meet you on this occasion, 

I am asked to make a brief speech, as being the inventor of the } re- 
cess and machine that makes the Capewell nail. 

I presume, if I should talk about Cuba and the late Spanish A\ar, or 
on politics, voii would be both sui'})rised and disapointtd; and I guess you 
will be disapointed anyway, for I never w^as a speech maker. 

During the past week I have had an outing in Old "Woodlniry — the 
home of my boyhood, to which I bade adieu about forty yeai's ago. — Par- 
don me for going so far back. 

I will endeavor to be brief; but I can scarcely tell my stoiy unless 1 
go back to the beginning. 

My parents came from England to America in the late fall of 1845, 
and brought my sister and self with them ; I, a youngster of about two 
and a half years. 

We were six weeks in crossing the ocean at that time. 

My father brought machinery and tools for the manufacture of sport- 
ing goods, shot tops, powder flasks, etc., and he at once started in busi- 
ness in company with his brothers who had come on some years before 
and were then engaged in other business. 

It was a hard struggle in those days, starting and establishing a ne\v 
business in a new country, and after several years my father's health 
broke w'ith the lingering consum))tion ; but he still continued in the busi- 
ness for about eight years, and nearly to the time of his death, which 
occured in October, 1854. 

At that time I was a bov of about twelve vears of age. 

Mv bovhood was clouded and sad. 

Many is the time I can remember, on returning home from school, 
hearing the deep-down, never-to-be-forgotten cough of my poor dying fa- 
ther, or to find he had been brought home from the factory with hemor- 
age of the lungs; and I was cautioned to walk softly across the floor, so 
as not to disturb him. How my sister and myself have prayed and prayed 
that our dear father might be again restored to health. 

Soon after my father's death, it behooved me to be thinking of doing; 
and I worked for my uncles in the factory summers and went to school in 
winters, until the spring of 1858. 

Then, for the first time, I hired out to a good old farmer for the sum- 
mer, which was possibly the beginning of the making of me. 

Barlow Eussell was a good man, but he had a full-grown hired man 
who wanted to domineer over me. 

I only remember him as a brute. 



34 THE CAPEWELL FAMILY. 

A few weeks after I had hired to Mr. Russell, I Avas off in a distant 
tield with this hired man, and because I was not large and strong enough 
to hold the plow down in the tough turf, stumps and stones, he called me 
a vile name, and came to me in a rage to thrash me. 

About this time my Capewell was up. 

I grabbed a rock and dared him thus far and no farther. 

He re-considered and stayed in his place. 

Neither one of us received any bodily injury, but my feelings Mere so 
much injured that I would not stay Avith Mr. Kussell and I therefore 
gave him two weeks notice to procure another boy. 

Mr. Russell sympathized with me and gave me some good advice. 

Amongst it was to be careful and not to get shiftless. 

That rang in my ears many a day. 

I hired out to another farmer way upon the west side hills: no neigh- 
bors short of about a mile. 

In leaving Mr. Russell and hiiing in this place, I nearly jumped 
from the lire into the frying pan ; for instead of a cruel hired task-master, 
I had a hard man to Avoi-k for. 

He was kind enough, only my hours were from about half past four 
o'clock in the morning until pitch dark at night. 

Many was the time I wandered around in a bushy swamp, in the early 
morning, before daylight, until I was wet and chilled through and through 
looking up the cows and cattle. 

1 would not leave this place for the fear and dread of being consider- 
ed shiftless: so I stayed the full time of my hire, five months, and to ac- 
commodate my employer. I stayed two weeks longer. 

But it was in this place I made my vow by the light of the cold, 
clear moon, not crying, but nevertheless at times my sight was dinmied 
with a stray tear or so. I suppose you are waiting for my vow. 

Gentlemen, it was that this was my first and last year as a drudge 
farmer boy or as a farmer, I realized that my fortune or comfort was not 
at farming. 

I there made my plans to go away and learn the machinist trade. 

My aim was to learn the machinist trade first, and then as opportu- 
nity presented, to become a manufacturer. 

In looking back I can see that I planned better than I then thought. 

Most people think, inventors are born inventors : that they have 
wheels in their heads; that about all they have to do is to concentrate 
their minds for a few moments, and the result is a more or less practical 
jim-crank, machine or thing. 

This may be true in many cases, but in my case I can say I never 
made any inventions except as a business proposition. 

My aim in all cases has been to invent something useful, that there 
would be a ready demand for, at a good, fair profit. 

I did not invent for the name or honor of being the inventor of this 
or that, nor did I invent because I was a natural born inventor. It was 



THE CAPEWELL FAMILY. of) 



because I fully realized that I was not born with a silver s];ccn in my 
mouth, and that if I ever amounted to much, I must be up and doing. 

My first invention was a self fastening button. 

This patent was taken out in 1866, and I am glad to say has been and 
is still a great success. 

It was natural for me to invent it, as I was then in the button busi- 
ness and knew the necessities and demands. 

In 1870, I went into the light hardware business for myself and then 
invented several articles in that line, among them being the giant nail 
puller. 

I continued in that business until 1881, at which time I sold it out to 
devote my time and energy to the Capewell Horse Nail Company; but it 
was while in business for mvself that I conceived the idea of buildino- a 
machine to automatically produce horse nails. 

I knew large quantities of horse nails were used, and once used they 
could never be used again. 

As a business proposition. I said to mvself. "That is the business for 
me." 

So in May, 1876, I commenced experimenting on tin ante malic n a- 
chine for producing the nails, the outcome of which is the now fairly well 
and favorably known Capewell horse nail. 

Had I then seen the rough road I must travel before success can.e, I 
doubt if I would have started oji that line. 

My final successful machine came from many previous failures, and 
disappointments. 

One large, ponderous machine that had cost me several thousand 
dollars and years of labor, was consigned in one piece to the melting fur- 
nace, to get it out of my sight and from the sight of the world forever. 

But this was really only a beginning. 

I then started anothei", that I supposed was right, but it and others 
after were not right, and I had to tky, try again. 

I well remember one night my people kept sending me word to come 
to supper, as I was late, as usual, etc. 

On this particular time I had been staying over, finishing the haidtn- 
ing of a pair of rolls, for rolling out nail blanks. 

At that time all the impressions were made in one single paii' of rolls, 
some sixteen impressions and sixteen spaces, every impression registering 
with its mate. 

It was a most exacting and laborious Avork to make them by hand, as 
was then done, and I had personally done all the AAOrk on thtm myself, 
which had taken nearly three weeks. 

Well, I hardened them very carefully, placed them on centres in the 
lathe, found they were very true and dead hard, all right, then stcU-ted in 
to my supper. 

As I sat at supper, something told me mischief had befallen those 



86' THE CAPEWELL FAMILY. 

rolls; thit they would crack and break, as I had not lowered the temper. 

I started up and out to the works, to find my apprehensions were 
only too true. Both rolls had broken and pieces of them were scattered 
about the place. 

At this time ray health was poor, and you may imagine my disa- 
pointment. The world looked dark inde.'d; l)Ut on this, as on many 
other occasions, I simply had to go on and succeed, or lose all 1 had 
spent. As the old saying goes, I had spent so much, it was root hog or 
die . 

Well, finally, I had a machine that was a decided success, and made 
a few barrels of nails and had them tested in liorscs' feet; and about that 
time, Mr. Williams brought gentlemen from Hartford to Cheshire to see 
my machine; the result of which was, I decided to l)ring it to Hartford, 
and exhil)it its working qualities to capitalists: and finally after nenrly 
an all summer's siege, the stock of the proposed Capewell Horse Nail 
Company was taken on condition that I make one change in the machine, 
tlie pointer; as the method I had then employed was thought to l)e an in- 
fringement of another nail-pointer. (But as a matter of fact it was not. ) 

However, there was no alternative, and so I took the machine down 
to my old works in Cheshire and commenced again, and changed over the 
pointer. 

It cost me a good round sum to do this and about six months time 
and hard work, and much anxiety for fear the subscribers to the stock 
would die or back out. 

Several did make other investments, l)ut their places were readily 
filled, and the company was organized .January 17, 1881. 

Then I was happy and thought the rest was easy, and I had a 
glimpse of the royal road to wealth. So sure was I that I promised I 
would not ask nor accept anj' salarj' or compensation, until the company 
was oiva paying basis. 

That promise cost me nearly seven years of the hardest labor and 
flisappointment of my life. 

I worked for nothing, and still some stock-holders were dissatisfied, 
— so much , so they refused paying up their suliscriptions; and as an in- 
ducement to have them pay in another $20,000 su1)scril)ed for in trust at 
the time of organization, I offered to surrender the payment of S25,000 
which would be due me when the company had made $50,000. 

This offer was accepted and our company went on : but sales were 
small and profits smaller. 

Finally, in Old London, Mr. Williams and myself shook hands 
across the table on changing the management of the company, and pursu- 
ing a more vigorous course. 

I wrote to .Judge Lewis and one other man what our policy was, and 
for them to cable me if they were with us. 

The cable answer came, "Am with you." 

And, l)y the way, Mr. Lewis was not then a stock-holder in the com- 
pany ; and one of the conditions I had written him was that he should 



THE rArEWf:LL FAMILY. 37 

buy, at par, fifty or sixty shares of stock. And, I may tell you, •whoever 
l^ought the shares then, bought them on a rather forlorn faith. 

Mr. Lewis at that time flattered me by saying he purchased them 
through Ins long aquaintance and faith in myself. 

(_)ne thing I had nearly forgotten to mention; The day before our an 
nual meeting of '87, the time we made the change of management, there 
were S3veral stock-holders (who did not know us as well as they do now) 
who thought if we only got a certain man for Treasurer, our scheme 
might carry, and so Mi\ Williams and myself approached him. He had 
to becoma a stock-holder to be eligil)le. The day came for our meeting 
and h<' had no shares. 

I tiild .Mr. Williams I was glad of it, that hv, Mr. \Mlliams, was all 
riglit for me and others for Treasurer, aiul I wanted him to take it. 

But .Mr. Williams was rntlier reluctant. 

However, Ik; agreed to it. and also told the other man our steamer 
would sail at three o'clock. Wlioever was going must be aboard Ijefore 
the bell rang or they wouM get left. 

And they were left. 

From tbat time on, the destinies were in the hands of an exceptiona- 
bly ablf body of directors and officers, most of which are living and with 
us now. 

Mr. Williams, by nuitual understanding and vote, was to look after 
the office and sales, and I was to look more specially to the manufacture: 
and botb of us were to council together on most important matters. 

1 feel we have all worked and pulled together, and we may all take 
pride together ovei' ri'Stilts. 

On one or two occasions, a few wild carrot and Canada thistle seed 
may have been sown amongst us l)y some un-wise persons, but I believe 
they have all l)ccn rooted out, and that today peace and prosperity prevail. 

In closing my remarks I will mention, it is just forty years since I 
saw my first castle in the air, l)y the dim, pale light of the moon, <:)n that 
far-off lonely hill that overlooks Woodbury, ^Mcopeeme, and farther in 
the distance, bethlehem, — and the star of Bethlehem at night. 

Last week, T visited this same old hill and place for the first time 
since I bade it adieu forty years ago. 

Gentlemen, forgive my weakness, but my feelings got the better of 
me as I again bade it adieu, prol)ably for the last time. 

My boyhood had its hardships and joys, luit those old rocks, hills, 
vales and crystal streams have a choice place in my memory, and may the 
day never come that F forget to think and speak tenderly of them. 

Just a word more about the nail machine: 

The first machines were constructed to make fifty nails per minute. 

But this we found was not rapid enough to afford a reasonable profit: 
and so, I put my wits together again and built another machine, at my 
own expense, — the machine we now have, which produces one liundred 
ami ten nails per minute. 



88 THE €APEWELL FAMILY, 

This macliine, in order to produce that number of nails, has to per^ 
fbrtni IjiSTO separate operations per minute. 

No man could watch and look after all those operations and move- 
ments; so the machine is its own watchman, and automatically stops it- 
SLdf if a poor ))lank is made, or anything goes wrong. 

Without this arrangement, the machine would become hopelessly 
jammed and broken, 

(lentlemen, I think I hare sufficiently tired your patience and I 
gladly surrender the floor to others. 



2. GEORGE SIDNEY CAPE WELL. —28?, Dewslmry Road, Leeds, 
England. Manager of the I>eeds Cius Works. Son of Joseph, of Beeston, 
I^^eds. (1. J.) 

3. GEORGE CAPEWELL.— 124 Acoml) Street, Moss Side, Manches- 
ter, England. 

4. GEORGE WILLIAM CAPEWELL.— Gold Hill, Southwell, Nott- 
inghamshire, England. Sjn of Charles William, of ril Eime Street, 
Liverpool (1. C. ), 

5. GEORGE CAPEWELL.— 12 Stoke Road, Stoke-on-Tr.nt, Staf- 
fordshire , England . 

6. GEORGE CAPEWELL.— 182 Stoke Road, Stoke-on-Trent, Staf- 
fordshire, England. 

7. GEORGE CAPEWELL.— ?,2 Elliot Street, Newcastle-under Lyme, 
Staffordshire, England . 

8. GEORGE CAPEWELL.— Beamhurst, near Stoke-on-Trent, Staf- 
fordshire, England. Son of Edwin of Lower Leigh. (2. E.) 

9. GEORGE CAPEWELL.— 74 llorsley Heath, Tipton, nc ar Dudh y, 
Staffordshire. England, (norge and liis brother Thomas, (l.T.) of 
West Bromwitch, are the two Capewell's refered to I'y C'harlcs Willinm 
(1. C.) in his last report, wliose grandfatlier was known as Caple. As 
this is not the only instance where the name has been shortened, it is to 
be hoped that we will get l>a( k to the original name later. 

10. GEORGE B. CAPEWELL, Jr.— 803G Chatham Street, Philad.l- 
phia, Pennsylvania, I'. S. A. 

11 GEORGE HENRY CAPEWELL.— 124 West Gorgas Strett, Ger- 
mantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U. S. A. Age 84, is a son of the 
late George Capewell, who died at Kenwood Park Road, Sharrow, Shef- 
field, England, December oLst, 1004, and Emma (Rogers) Capewell, wh(» 
still resides at the old Homestead. George H. was born on the ()th of 
February, 1872, and was educated at Elmfield College, Ye)rk, Engl.ind. 

On October 10th, 1903, he was marrii'd to Sadie Alice P.nmgh, an 
American lady, who was born in Philadelphia Pa., e)n the lOth of Nov- 



THE CAPEWELL FAMILY. o9 

timber, 187o. The ceremony was performed at the Church of the Savior, 
West Philadelphia, by the Rev, W. B. Bodine, D. D. 

(reorge Henry is the Treasurer of the Colonial Auto Company, Inc.*, 
which is doing an extensive automobile business, and have offices, sales- 
rooms and garage at 15th, Oxford and Carlisle streets, Phikidelphia. Pa., 
and is also principal of the National Automobile School, which is run in 
connection with the Colonial Auto Compan3^ 



COLONIAL AUXO COMF^ANY, 

i5tti & Oxford Sts., F'liilacielphia, Ra. 




OEO. H. CAPEWELL, Xreas. 



He has two brothers, Arthur Thomas, (5. A.) and John Frederick, 
(5. .J.) who along with five sisters and mother, reside in England. The 
brothers have b;)th visited here, and George H. has paid several visits to 
the old country. He is a member of the R. A., T. P. A. and the C. T. 
M. A. A. of America. 

12. GEORGE B. CAPEWELL.— 2953 Chatham Street, Philadelphia, 
Pennsylvania, U. S. A. Son of \Villiam Henry and Jane M. (Bender) 
Capewell. 

13. GEORGE B. CAPEWELL.— Wheatsheaf Lane and Belgrade St., 
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U. S. A. 

14. GEORGE CAPEWELL.— Hampton Charles, Tenl)ury, Worces- 
tershire, England. 

15. GEORGE CAPEWELL.— Ross, Herefordshire, England; is the 
editor of a provincial newspaper. 

16. GEORGE JOSEPH CAPEWELL, Jr.— 49 Pearl Street, Hartford, 
Connecticut, U. S. A. So.i of George Joseph, (1. G.) and Garafelia 
(Hull) Capewell. 

17. GEORGE HENRY CAPEWELL.— Soutli Britain, Connecticut, 
U. S. A. Age 6, born September 27, 1900. Son of Frederick Marcus 
and Edna Elizabeth (Squires) Capewell (8. F.) 



40 THE cAPp:Avr:LL family. 

1. HENRY CAPEWELL.— 1;^> St. Anne Street, Stoke-on-Trent. 
StatTordshire, England. 

2. HENRY CAPEWELL.— 42 Dinsdale View, Port Hill, T.ongport, 
near Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England. Son of Henry Capewell, 
Avho was born 1786, at Fradeswell, and died 1S()(), age SO. Henry is 77 
years old, and is very deeply interested in the family history. Here is a 
good example for the youngsters. 

3. HENRY CAPEWELL.— 26 Queen Anne Street, Hanley, Stafford- 
shire, England. 

4. HENRY CAPEWELL.— St. Anne Street, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, 
Staffordshire, England . 

5. HENRY CAPEWELL.— 95 Station Street, I!urton-on-Trent, 
Staffordshire, England . 

6. HERBERT CAPEWELL. — 1!)6 Cottingham Street, Toronto, 
Canada. 

7. HARRY CAPEWELL.— 2439 Ann Street, Philadelphia, Pennsyl- 
vania, U. S. A. 

8. HARRI CAPEWELL.— 1126 Mechanic Street, Camden, New Jer- 
sey, U. S. A. Born Septend)er 30, 18()2, at Pavonia and Kaighn Ave. 
Age 44, son of William Henry and .Jane M. (Bender) Capewell. (Latter 
deceased) (16. W.) 



1. JOSEPH CAPEWELL.— "Wood Lea, Dewsbury Road, Beeston, 
Leeds, England. Son of Samuel (deceased). Joseph has four sons: 
Joseph .John, of Wakefield; Ernest Henry, of Armley, Leeds; Arthur 
Claude, of Beeston, Leeds, and George Sidney, 283 Dewsbury Eoad, 
Leeds. 

2. JOSEPH JOHN CAPEWELL.— St. Catherine's Cottage, Belle 
Vue, Wakefield, Leeds, England. Son of Joseph, of Beeston, Leeds. (1. J.) 

3. JOSEPH CAPEWELL.— Shepherds Lodge, Cellar Head, near 
Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England. Is a prosperous farmer and is 
the son of James and Annie (Morris) Capewell (9. J.). 

Joseph married Sarah .Jane Docksey, and they have one son, Colin, 
who has taken consideraljle interest in the family history. 

This branch of the Capewell 's can trace their line back, six genera- 
tions, which will be furnished in later reports. 

4. JOSEPH THOMAS CAPEWELL.— P. O. Box 14, Oakville, Con- 
necticut, U. S. A. Age 22, 1x)rn August 24, 1880, at Wood Vine Farm, 
Oakville, Litchfield County, Connecticut. Educated at Monroe Business 
College, Waterbury, Counecticut. Son of A\'alter Stanley and Jennie 
Agustus (Lewis) Capewell. 



THE CApEWELL EAMILY. 41 

5. JOHN FREDERICK CAPEWELL.— 73 Meersl.iook Park IJcad, 
-Meersln-ook, Slu'ttiekl, ]*]nglan(l. Son of George (died De<-'eml)er ?A , 
11)04, at Kenwood Park Pvoad. ^Sheffield. ) 

6. JOHN FREDERICK CAPEWELL.— 11) Beetou Koad, Meersbrook 
Derbyshire, England. 

7. JOHN RICHARD CAPFWELL.— .Stoke-on-Trent, Stnfford.shire, 
England. 

8. JOHN CAPEWELL.— 21 Elgin Street, Hanky, Staffordshire, 
England. 

9 JAMES CAPEWELL.— Withy Stakes, Werrington, near Stoke- 
un-Trcnt, Stallordsbire, England. James is a prosperous farmer, and is 
the son of James and Martha (Goodwin) Capewell, of the Doglands farm 
at Fi-adeswell. He married Annie Morris. They have one son at Shep- 
herds Lodge, Cellar Head, whose name is Joseph. 

10. JAMES CAPEWELL.— ()0 Bottevslow Street, Hanley, Stafford- 
shire, England. 

11. JOHN CAPEWELL.— Church Leigh, near Stoke-on-Trent, Staf- 
fordshire, England. 

12. JOHN CAPEWELL.— Ellcnball, near Stafford, England. 

13. JAMES CAPEWELL.— Frade.^well, near Uttoxeter, Stafford- 
shire, England. 

14. JAMES THOMAS CAPEWELL.— 23 Haveloek Street, Saltley, 
llirmingbani, I'ngland. Son of Pxiijaniin of Bedworth ; the claimnant to 
Mancetter Manor. (For an aceount of whieh, please look in the M's. ) 

15. JOHN CAPEWELL.— 1 Club Building, Rowley Pegis, near 
Dudh\v, Staft'ordshire, England. 

16. JAMES M. CAPEWELL.— o077 Collins, Street, Philadelphia, 
i'ennsylvania, U. S. A. 

17. JAMES GEORGE CAPEWELL.— 458 Kaighn Avenue, Camden, 
New Jersey, C. S. A. Age 2;"), born October (L 1880, at S. W. Corner of 
Gaul and Dickinson Streets, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Son of Mark 
Anthony and Whillie (Batt) Capewell. (1. :\r.) 

18. JOHN BATT CAPEWELL.— Westville, New Jersey, U. S. A. 
Age 28, born Feln-uary 5, 1878, at the South AWst corner of Gaul and 
Dickinson Streets, Philadelphia, Pa, (Look in Marriages.) 

19. JOHN HALLAS CAPEWELL.— St Catherines Cottage, Belle 
\'ue, Waketield, Leeds, England. Is a child and resides with his father, 
Joseph John. (2. J.) 



42 



THE CAPEWELL FAMILY 



20. JOHN CAPEWELL.— 35 Vaughan Street, S. Birmingham, Eng- 
land. All tliat is known of John is that he is a marine store dealer. 

21. JOHN EDWARD C AP E W ELL.— Wood Iniry, Connecticut, IL 
S. A. Age 50, born June 17, 1H5G. Son of George Augustus and 
Harriet (Davis) Capewell. :Married Noveml)er 25, 187'.), at Woodbury, 
Conn., to Ella M. Bailey, wlio was born at Woodbury, August 30, 1S5S. 

John Edward is a famous breeder and trainer of standard-bred 
horses, and is the proprietor of the Ijeautiful "West Side Stock Farm,'^ 
at Woodbury, Conn. 

WKSTP SII3K STOCK KAKM> 

Woodbury, Conn. 




Pliotograph of John Bascomb: — 2.25. 
The Great Trotting Stallion. 



1. LANGDON CERENO CAPEWELL.— 72 Hinsdale Avenue, Win- 
sted, Connecticut, U. S. A. Age 32, born March 13, 1874, at Woodl)ury, 
Conn. Son of Seymour L. and Elizabeth Julia (Saxton) Capewell. ( 2. S.) 

Married June 10, 1896, at Winsted, Conn., to Ruth Estella Pluml), 
born January 9, 1873, at Winsted, Conn. 

They have two children, Helen Ruth and Stuart Langdon Capewell, 
aged G and five years. 

Langdon C. is superintendent of the "Citizen Printing Company" 
of Winsted. 

2. LEON ROBERT CAPEWELL.— Woodbury, Connecticut, U. S. 
A. Age 24, born June 24, 1882, at Woodbury. Son of Seymour L. and 
Elizabeth Julia (Saxton) Capewell. (2. S.) 

Married June 22, 1904, to Dorothy Amelia Whitney, who was horn 
at Montville, Massachusetts, December 22, 1885. The marriage took 
place at the home of the bride in Winsted, Conn. 



THE CAPEWELL FAMILY. 43 

3. LOUIS WILLIAM CAPEWELL.— Hatchkissvilk', Litehtickl 
County, (oiniecticut, I'. !>. A. Son of ^^'i]lialn Charles and ]Mary 
(Misert-z) Capewi-ll. (17. W. ) Infant, l)orn at Hatchkissville, Xovcnilier 
i5, 1905, 



1. MARK ANTHONY CAPEWELL.— 458 Kaighn Ave. Camden, 
NeAv Jersey, U. S. A- Age 55, born May 1, LS51, at Loeust and Kaighn 
Avenue, Camden, N. J. Educated at Kaiglm School, Newton Avenue 
iind Chestnut Street. Married November 4, bS7o, at the parsonage of the 
Union Methodir.t Church by the Rev. jNIaddock, to ^Vhillie Batt, l)Qi-n 
March 15, 1857, at Berlin, N. J. 

They have had eight children, seven of whom are now living. Thej^ 
nre .Tohn Batt, (See Marriages) A\411iam Henry, better known as Harry, 
(See Deaths) .James George, Mark Anthony, .Jr., Margaret iNIay, Caroline 
Harrison, Francis Matilda and Edna Lavinia Capewell. 

2. MARK ANTHONY CAPEWELL, Jr..— 458 Ivaighn Avenue. 
Camden, New Jersey, U. S. A. Age .12, lioi-n October o, 1883, on Hunt- 
ington Avenue, near Cedar Street, Pliihulclphia, I^a. Educittd at \\\st- 
ville, N. J. Son of the above ^lark Anthony and \Miillie (Batt) Cape- 
well. (1. M.) 



MANCEXXER MANOR. 

WARWICKSHIRE, ENGLAND. 



Tlu're is a tradition of which very little is known, outside of those 
Capewell's Avho are directly concerned, and I will try to give j-ou as much 
as I liave learne(l (tf it; without, however, disclosing the source of my in- 
formation. 

First I will give the description of "The ]\Ianor," taken from "Tlie 
Birmingham lilvening I'ost," of July 8, 1,S*)5. 



AIAXCEXXER IVIANOR, WARWICKSHIRE. 
ITS MARTYR AND ITS AXCIENT HISTORY. 



The Manor House of ^Nlancetter, near Atherstone, one of the most 
interesting places in North ^^'arwickshire, has just changed owners for 
tlie first time for many years. In his hi.story of M'arwickshire, Dugdale 
giv?s many particulars concerning Mancetter, which was the Manduesse- 
dum of tlie Romans, It was given by William the Conqueror to Hugh 
Lupus, Earl of Chester, and passed from him to Walkeline de Mancestre, 
who built the church and manor, the latter al)OUt 1135. His descendant. 



u 



THE C.VrEWELL FAMILY 



Eilminid, (lied ill the reign of Edward III. witlioiu issue, bequeathing it 
to a relative, who married Thomas Harper, wlio sold it to Mr. .h)hn CUov- 
er, of Baxterh-y, in the reign of Henry Vl. (14:'.2). It continued the 
property and residence of the Glovers till 1(')77. The house is still, in 
parts, tliat in which the (ilovers dwelt. Ivohert Glover the Protestant, 
who resided many years there, was taken away from it to Coventry, and 
there l)urnt in the street on September 19, loo5. He married a nit'ce of 
the venerable Bishop Latimer wlio was l)urnt at Oxford the montli f(»llow- 
ing. 




THE MANOR HOUSE. 



The residence is a well-preserved and characteristic specimen of an 
early Warwickshire manor house, still retaining exceptionally fine hand- 
worked oak beams, panellings and wide open tire places. Probaltly few 
l)etter specimens of its age remain in the country. The l)aronial Hall, 
which was the centre, is easily traced, though it was afterwards divided 
into different apartments to meet the convenience of more ilomestic times. 
Two wings were added, framed of wood. The old oak staircase so long 
trod by the Glovers and down which the martyr descended for the last 
time in the custody of the Queen's othcers who seized him in his sick 
chamber, still remains. There is also a bedroom known as "the mar- 
tyr's room," and till recently might be seen a curious hiding place by 
means of which the martyr and his two brothers might have sometimes 
escaped the search of those sent to apprehend them. 



THE CAPEWELL FAMILY. 4,5 

It seems that the "^Nlanor" was left by will to a certain person for 
life, and after that to some Capewell or C'apewells. On the death of the 
first legatee Benjamin Capewell (1. B.) of Bedworth, Nmieaton, War- 
wickshire, laid claim to it, l)ut he was poor and liad very little money 
witli which to prosecute his claim, and after spending all he had, the 
smart legal talent employed were able to disprove his rights. 

Benjamin is now an old man of 78 years. His is indeed a pitiful 
story, and we picture him as a young man fighting for his rights, with all 
tlie Capewell determination that was in him. 

If only he will give us the full story it will be published in the Cape- 
well History. 

It is said that the one time owner of the "Manor" was one Fanny 
Ross, the aunt of Thomas Capewell, father of Benjamin of whom we write, 

MARRIAGES. 



Under this heading will be ])riiitcd a complete account of any mar- 
riages which take ])]:\cr (hiring the year previovis, and accounts, with 
p]iotogra[)bs uf bi-i<lc mid groom (if possible) should ))e sent in as early 
as convenient. 



CAPEWELl^— BVANS. 

JOHN BATT CAPEWELL.— Westvillc, New Jersey, U. S. A. Age 
2S, l)orn February •"), 1878, at the Southwest corner of Gaul and Dicken- 
son Streets, l'liiladeli)hia. Pa. Son of Mark Anthony and Whillie 
(Ikitt) Capewell of 4o8 Kaighn Avenue, Camden, N. J. (1. M.) 

Was married January 17, 1906, at Philadelphia. Pennsylvania, to 
Miss Ella B. Evans, age 27, a Catholic lady of Philadelphia. Pa. 



MISSING. 



Most of the folk)wing are known to exist, but either their names or 
wh(>reabouts are unknown. The list should be looked over carefully as 
the slightest information concerning any of them will be greatly appreci- 
ated. 



ELIZABETH CAPEWELL.— Daughter of James G., Jr.(deceased)and 
:Margaret (Knight) Capewell. Born at Westville, New Jersey, U. S. A. 
Last heard of in Camden, N. J. 



46 THE CAPEWELL FAMILY. 

GEORGE CAPEWELL.— Camden, New .Jersey, U. 8. A. (nandK)!! 
of William Henry and .lane N. (Bender) Capewell. (U). W.) He ban 
another brother also of wh(»m nothing is known. 

JOHN CAPEWELL.— Whose former address was 42 ^Vilson Street, 
Stoke-on-Trent, hut it is reported by Charles William that he left for 
Canada on November 15, 1905. We appeal to his sisters, .Jane (40. J.) 
and Harriet. (21. H.) 44 Wilson Street, for further information for 
next report. 

JOHN CAPEWELL.— Has been at Liverpool a short time, but who 
eannut now be traeed; as he left just before last Christmas. 
It is not known which .John this is. 

JOSEPH M. CAPEWELL.— Supposed to be living in or about Port 
Uiehmond, Pliiladelphia, Pa., U. S. A. Son of the late Joseph M. Cape- 
well of Kensington. 

CHARLES ALONZO CAPEWELL.— Whose father, Joseph E. Cape- 
well, kept a China Store at 467 North Second Street, Philadelphia, I-'a., 
U. S. A. during the Civil War. The last heard of Charles Alonzo was 
that he was a salesman for an artists' supply house in New York. 

WILLIAM CAPEWELL.— Living in 1905 at 2 Tudor Street, Birm- 
ingham, England; but left there early that year. 

JAMES YATES CAPEWELL.— Son of Thomas of Fradeswell, Eng- 
land. Supposed to have emigrated to America in 1856 with an uncle l)y 
the name of Yates. 

Two sons of Alfred CapeAvell, Baldwins Gate, Whitmore, near Stoke- 
on-Trent, (S. F.) are now in Canada. Please send names and address. 

MARGARET CAPEWELL.— Daughter of John (deceased) of Ken- 
sington, I^hiladelpliia, Pa., U. S. A. Last heard from in Berlin, New 
Jersey, but does not live there now. 

DOROTHY CAPEWELL.— Daughter of John and sister of the above. 
When last heard of was married to' a man employed at Strawbridge and 
Clothiers, Philadelphia, Pa., U. S. A. 

SAMUEL CAPEWELL.— Son of Charles Capewell, (5. C.) Mill Street 
Eturia, Hanky, Staffordshire, England, and nephew of Frederick Bad- 
deley Capewell, 29 Gordon Street, Hartshill, Stoke-on-Trent, England. 

Went to America about 1891, living in New York 1895. Father 
inquires. \ 

CHARLES CAPEWELL.— Went to Australia in 1879. ^Mother and 
brother inquire. 



THE CAPEWELL EAMILV. 4 



1. PERCIVIL HOWE CAPEWELL.— 741 Park Avenue, Collings- 
wiiod, New Jersey, U. H'. A. Age IS, born Oetol>er 11, 1887, at 333 Clin- 
ton Street. I'amden, N. J. Son of Eugene Edgar and Anna Francis 
{\Vriggin.s) Capewell (9. E.). 



1. RUTHERFORD HAYES CAPEWELL.— 425 Washington Street, 
Camden, New Jersey, U. S. A. Age 29, l)orn August 13, 1876, at 256 
Chestnut Street, Camden. Son of "William Henry and Jane M. (Bender) 
(deceased) Capewell. 

Married December 31, 1898, l)y Rev J. C. Russell, at parsonage of 
Second Presbj^terian Church, Camden, to Linda D. Harlieson, born Mar. 
4, 1880, at Camden. 

Chihlren; Bessie :\Lay and Pvuth Dorothy Capewell (10. R.). 

2. RICHARD CAPEWELL.— National Telephone Buildings, Hanley, 
Staffordshire, England. 

3. RICHARD CAPEWELL.— Near the Church Boothen, Stoke-on- 
Trent, Staffordshire, England. 



RISING SUN INN. 



It is rumored the CapewelPs have kept the "The Rising Sun Inn' 'at 
Fradeswell, Staffordshire, England, for five hundred years. In fact Will^ 
iam Capewell, of Lower Noluit, Leigh, (14. W .) asserts that it is posi- 
tively so: and it is hoped that through him and his l»rother, James of 
Fradeswell, near Cttoxeter, (13. J.) we may be able to get a full account 
of it l)y next year's report, for, if this proves to be true, the CapewelPs 
are a distinct family from the Caple's, from Avhom some of our people 
think we have descended. 



1. SAMUEL CAPEWELL.— (52 Middlemore Road, Smethwiek, 
Birmingham, Elngland. 

2. SEYMOUR LANGDON CAPEWELL.— Woodbury, Connecticut, 
U. S. X. Age 56, 1)orn Deceml)er 14, 1850, at Woodbury, Conn. Son 
of George Augustus and Harriet (Davis) Capewell. 

Married September 25, 1873, to Julia Eliza1)eth Snxton, who waS 
l)orn July 22, 185(), at Woodl)ury, Conn., at whose home the wedding 
took place. 

Their children are. George E. (deceased), Langdon Cereno (I.L.); 
Charles Henry (10. C), Frederick Marcus (8. F.), Leon Robert (2. L.), 
Mabelle Ann (14. M.) and Carolyn Elizabeth (22. C). 

3. STUART LANGDON CAPEWELL.— 72 Hinsdale Avenue, Win^ 



48 THE CAPEWELL I'AMII.^'. 

sted, Connecticut, U. S. A. Age 5, born BeptomlxT 11, lOCMJ, at Wood- 
bury, Conn. 8on of Langdon Cereno and IJutb E.^tclla (Plumb) Cape' 
well (1. L.). 



1. THOMAS CAPEWELL.— 17 P.aker Street, West Bromwich, 
Staffordshire, England. Age 70, ))rother to George of Tipton (i>. G.). 



1. WILLIAM CAPEWELL.— Market Heatli P»oad, Penketh, near 
Wareington , England . 

2. WILLIAM CAPEWELL. 22 Tolleinaehe Street, Nrw lirigliton, 
near Liverpool, England. 

3. WILLIAM CAPEWELL.— iKynK' Street, New Kadfcrd, Notting- 
ham, England. 

4. WILLIAM CAPEWELL.— 1! I XeW Street, Ilanley, Staffordshire, 

England. 

5. WILLIAM CAPEWELL.— Schoolmaster, Haniey, Stafford .shire, 
England. 

6. WILLIAM CAPEWELL. — II Wedgewood Street, Xettlebank, 
Smallthorne, Staffordshire, England. 

7. WILLIAM CAPEWELL.— lo3 Grove Lane, Handworth, Birming- 
ham, England. 

8. WILLIAM CAPEWELL.— 8 Paignton Pvoad, Rotten Park, Birm- 
ingliam, England. Age 51. ^lanager for a firm of oil merchants. 

9. WILLIAM CAPEWELL.— Boekleton, TenbUry, Worcestershire, 
England. 

10. WILLIAM CAPEWELL.— 2(11'. I Ontario Street, Philadelphia, 
Pennsyltania, U. S. A. 

11. WILLIAM CAPEWELL.— Farmer, Fknverdale, Victoria, Aus- 
tralia. 

12. WILLIAM CAPEWELL.— Grazier, Broadford. Victoria, Aus- 
tralia. 

13. WILLIAM CAPEWELL.— Pall Mall, Bendigo, Victoria, Au.^- 
tralia. 




THE CAPEWELL FAMILY. ^^^ 49 



14 WILLIAM CAPEWELL.— Lower Nobut, (?) Leigh, Stoke-un 
Trent, StatTurdshire, p]ng]and. 

15. WILLIAM DENNIS CAPEWELL.— 17 Guildford Street, Han- 
lej', Staffordsliire, England. 

16. WILLIAM HENRY CAPEWELL.— 291 Liberty 8treet, Camden, 
New Jer.sey, U, 8. A. Age 7o, liorn December 12, 1832, at Kensington, 
Philadelphia, Pa. Son of Joseph and Maria (Hodges) Capewell (both 
ileceased). 

Married in Tannary, lSo2, at Camden, New Jersey, to Jane M, Ben- 
der of Camden, wlio died January 4, 1880, of t;^'phoid fever: Ituried at 
Evergreen Cemetery, Camden. They have had 14 children, 8 of whom 
are living; George B., Harri, Louisa B., Bertha Maxwell, (2.B.) Frank 
Le Roy, Rutherford Hayes and Sallie Julia Capewell. 

William Henry is a l)r()thcr to Susan P., the oldest Capewell in 
America, He is a glass blower, and in spite of his 73 years, is hale and 
hearty and works at night at his trade. 

17. WILLIAM CHARLES CAPEWELL.— Hatchkissville, Connecti- 
i-ut, U. S. A. Age 28, born .March 81, 1878, at Oakville, Litchfield 
l'(nnity. Conn. Son (if \\'alter Stanley and Jennie Agustus (Lewis) Cape- 
well (20. W.). 

Educated at Harrington Business College, ^\'aterbury, Conn. 

Married April 23, 1897, by Episcopal clergyman at Watertown, 
Litchfield County, Conn., to Mary Miserez, who was born October 28, 
1877, in Switzerland, Layaux. 

They liavc five children; Walter Stanley (21. AV.\ Rubv Olive (11. 
P.), Clitford Howard (11. C), Pearl Mav (10. P.) and Louis William 
(3. L.) 

18. WALTER SCOTT CAPEWELL.— 1212 South Fourth Street, 
Camden, New .b'rsey, V. S. A. Age OO, lK)rn October 13, 1846, at Locust 
and Kaighn Avenue, Caiuden. Son of James Geoi-ge and Margaret (Mos- 
ti'ii) Cajiewell. l"]dueated at Kaighn School, Newton Avenue and Chest- 
nut Street. 

First marriage; October 8, l.")(')(), at Methodist Parsonage, Gloucester, 
N. .]., l)y Rev. Milton Relyea, to Rachel Hill, born 18,50, at Gloucester, 
N. J., died 1S70, in confinement, buried in Union Cemetery, Gloucester. 

Second marriage; .June 10, 1871, at the parsonage of the Union 
Methodist Church, Camden, Ncav Jersey, l»y Rev. Snyder, to Hannah 
Wagner, born April 2o, 18.").") at Second and Walnut Streets. Camden. 

19. WALTER B. CAPEWELL.— Jo!) Berkley Street, Camden, New 
.b'rsey, U. S. A. Horn July 15, 188.5, at 450 Royden Street, Camden. 

Son of Winlield Scott (deceased) and Melvina V. (Stetser) Cape- 
well )30. M.) 

20. WALTER STANLEY CAPEWELL.— "Wood Vine Farin" P. O. 




&0' ^^F TH'E CAPE^T:Er, FAiriEr.. 



Box 14, Oakville, dmnectici^it, U. i^. A. Age 53, l)orn Jnnc TO, T80P,, af 
AA^oodbiiry, Litchfield County, Conn. 

Son of the late Joseph Thomas and Sarah Ann (Pitt) Capewell. 

Educated &t Trenton, New Jersey. 

Married August 13, 1873, at Beeon Falls, New Haven County, Con- 
necticut, by Episcopal Minister, to Jennie Agusta Lewis, born July 15,. 
1857, at AVinstead, Litchfield County, Connecticut. 

They have had six children,, two of whom, Herbert Walter and How- 
ard Stanley, are deceased. Tho-se living are Augusta Ann (11. A . ) ,. Will- 
iam Charles (17. W.), Daisy May (10. D.) and Joseph Thomas U. J.). 

Walter S. is a retired manufacturer whose time is now mostly occu- 
pied with his beautiful "Wood Vine Farm," situated in Litchfield Coun- 
ty, where he is happily surrounded l)y his loving wife and children. 

21. WALTER STANLEY CAPEWELL,— Katchkissville, Litchfield 
County, Connecticut, U, S. A. Son of William Charles and ^hiry (Mis- 
erez) Capewell (17. W.). Age 8, born at Oakville, Conn., Oct. 1^, 1897. 



WIDOWS OF CAPEWELLS. 



Below is a list of the Capewell Widows, and it might be added, Cape- 
well Mothers. 

Almost the same expressions might ]>e used here as were used for the 
"Capewell Daughters," as they, too, have n^ade most excellent wives and 
mothers, and it is almost certain that we have'nt got one-fifth of them on. 
this list. Let us hope, l)y next report, to have the history of every Cape- 
well Widow in the workL 



30. DORCAS R. (CARTER) CAPEWELL.— 436 William Street, 
Camden, New Jersey, U. S. A, Age 05, daughter of John and Lavinia 
(Davis) Carter. She was born April 10, 1841. Married April 11, 1867, 
at parsonage of First Baptist Church of Camden, New Jersey, to Charles 
Baldry Capewell, son of John and Sarah L. (Austin) Capewell (both de- 
ceased). He was born August 12, 1840, and died February 23, 18!)3, of 
apoplexy, at the age of 53. Buried at Evergreen Cemetery, Camden, 
New Jersey. 

30. EMMA GENEVA (WELLS) CAPEWELL.— 733 Norfolk Street, 
Mattapan, Boston, Massachusetts, C. S. A. Age 50, born August 26, 
1855, at Dorchester, Massachusetts. 

Married January 28, 1880, at her home, by Congregational minister, 
to William Wright Capewell, wlio died August 13, 1891, at City Hospital, 



/ 




THE CAPEU^ELL FAlfllLT., ~ 51 



"Boston,, ]Mae&. , of heniorrhoid on the brain. Buried at Cedar Grove, 
.Dorchester, Mass. 

His parents were Mark and Mary Jane (Joknstene) Capewell (Ixjth 
■deceased)- 

Children are Emma Oertnade -and ]Maiy Wells Capewell, {21. E.) 
:and (13. :^I.). 

31. EMMA CAPEWELL.— Westcoiurt Eoad, New Lambtaii., New 
.'South Wales, Australia. 

30. MELVINA V, (STETSER) CAPEWELL.— 459 Berl^ley Street, 
Camden, New Jerisey, U. S. A. Age oG, <laughter of Joseph and Lydia 
'.Stetser. *>he was born September 14, 1849, at Paulsboro, New Jersey^, 
and educated at Maiitau, N- J. 

Married November 16, 1873 at pai-sonage of tlie Union ^Methodist 
Church, Fifth and Spruce Streets, Camden, N. J,, to Winifield 8cott Cape- 
well, son of John and Sarah L. (Austin) Capewell (both deceased).. 

He was bom December 5, 1847, at Second and Kaighn Avenue', 
Camden, N. J., and died Feliruaiy 22, 1892, of cancer, at 74)i Walnut 
Street, at the age of 45. Buried at Evergreen Cemetery, Camden, N. J. 

Children now living are Anna M. (10. A,), Lydia A. HO. L.), 
Charles Edgar (2. C.) and Walter B. (19. W-). 

30. SARAH CAPEWELL.— 2-8 ■Windmill End, Netherton, Dudley^ 
iStafiordsliirc, England . 

31. SARAH CAPEWELL.— Old Hill, near Dudley, Staffordshire, 
England- 



CAPWELL'S. 



There are a number of people in America l)y the name oi' CapWell, 
and the only difference between Capewell and Capwell is one little "e." 

The names are so nearly alike that one is naturally led to believe they 
are, or were at one time of the same origin: and, to make it appear more 
so, no Capwell's have been found in England duriirg our search for 
Capewell's 

There is not a Capewell living today who has not had some exper- 
ience of having his name written or pronounced wn^ng hy others; and 
yet we are in an enlightened age. 

To cite a few instiinces: 

"The United States Medical Directory for 1905," gives the Uame of 
Dr. David A. Capwell, as Dr. David A. Capewell, 

"Boyd's Directory of Salem and Gloucester ('ounties, New Jersey,, 



u 



52- ^^10^ THE' CAPEWrELL FAMILY, 

U. S. A." gives the mime of Mark A. Capewell, (who, by the way, is my 
uncle) as Mark A. Capwell. 

And my own name appears in "The Baltimore City Directory of 
1900'- (Maryland, U. S. A.) in very large advertising type (for which I 
paid) as Clarence L. Capwell, and I never noticed it until a year or two 
afterwards; and then my attention was called to it hj others. 

If one were searching for these anomalisms, thousands might be 
found: and if such things occur in our times, they certainly could have 
liappened a hundred years ago. I am more than delighted that some of 
the Capwell's share the same opinion as myself al)Out the matter; one of 
Avhom is the following, and two of his letters are reproduced below, which 
speak for themselves. 



Pawtucket, R. I., Dec. 14, 1905. 
C. L. Capewell, Esq,, 

Baltimore, Md., 
Dear Sir : 

Replying to your letter to my father, relative to the Capewell 
geneology, will say that our name is Capwell, not Capewell, though prob- 
ably at one time was spelled with the "e" and probably belonged to the 
same family. 

We can trace back to service in the Revolution, and if you can use 
the tracing, I would l)e pleased to learn more concerning the family. 

Yours truly, 

Arthur A. Capwell. 
813 Weeden Street, 



Pawtucket, R. L, Dec, 20, 1905. 
Mr. Clareilce C^apewell, 

Baltimore, Md<, 
Dear Sir: 

Your kind remittance at hand, for which accept my thanks. 
As to the Capwell Tracings; my father, Frederick L., and his father, 
.Joseph A. are still living. 

Joseph Capwell, father of Joseph A., was born August 19, 1789, and 
was married January 21, 1810, to Lydia Alexander and had seven chil- 
dren: one of these children marrying a man by the name of Nichols and 
residing in Japan. 




THE CAPEWELL FAMILY. ^^^ 53 



The father of Joseph was James Capwell, who was under Brig. Gen. 
Nath, Greene, in the Revolutionary War. His war record is on file in 
K. I. (History of Rhode Island, [Arnold] Vol. II. p. 348.) Was prob- 
ably at the Battle of Bunker Hill. 

This is the extent of my tracings. 

Anything further that you enlighten me on, I shall feel grateful. 

Yours truly, 

Arthur A. Capwell. 



W. W. Capwell, Dallas, Pa., June 25, 1900, says: 

I had often thought the Capwell's and Capewell's might have come 
from the same stock, Init, was not certain of it." 

Charles William Capewell of Liv3rpool, England, December 28, 1905^ 
Says, "Re. Mr. Capwell of R. I., I have no doubt he is a Capewell. I 
am often called Capwell: indeed, the variations of pronouncing and spell- 
my name are legion." 

In reference to the above, I wish to state that I have been working 
on the matter and have quite a lot of disconnected information which is 
not ready for this report; l)ut will henceforth keep track of the Capwell's 
and include their history with that of the Capewell's. 

The following is a list of Capwell's collected to date; and to these 
Capwell's I would say, please send me all the information you can, and 
especially as to your relatives among this list. 

1. ARTHUR A. CAPWELL.— 813 Wheedeiv Street, Pawtucket, 
Rhode Island. 

2. ARTHUR A. CAPWELL.— 10 Maynard Street, Pawtucket, R. I. 

3. ALLISON S. CAPWELL.— 76 Hoyt Street, Buffalo, N. Y. 

4. BREWINGTON A. CAPWELL.— 630 Power Road, Pawtucket^ 
R. I. 

5. BEVERLY CAPWELL.— Lake Winola, Pa. 

6. CHARLES B. CAPWELL.— West Nicholson, Pa. 

7. CHARLES CAPWELL.— Meshoppen, Pa. 

8. CLARENCE L. CAPWELL.— Proprietor of Hotel Sterling, Wilkes 
Barre, Pa. 

9. COIT A CAPWELL.— 16 Home Street, New London, Conn. 

10. CLAUD CAPWELL.— 1600 North Second Street, Minneapolis, 
^Minnesota 

11. DANIEL A. CAPWELL, M. D.— 431 Wyoming Avenue, Scran- 
ton, Pa. 

12. DANIEL H. CAPWELL, M. D.— Garrison, Denton County, 
Iowa. 

13. EDWARD CAPWELL.— Factoryville, Pa. 




)1 ^"^^ THE CAPEWELL FAMILY, 



14. EDWARD CAPWELL.— Care of Vulcan Iron Works, AVilkes 
] Jarre, Pa. 

15. ELWOOD H. CAPWELL.— Wyalusing, Pa. 

16. FRANK P. CAPWELL.— Pvailroa J Depot, Pawtiieket, Pv. \ 

17. FRANK W. CAPWELL.— 22 Ocean Ave., New London, Conn. 

18. FRANK E. CAPWELL.— 69 Church Street, Hartford, Conn. 

19. FRED L. CAPWELL.— 43 Broad House, 10 Maynard, Paw- 
tucket, Pt. L 

20. GEORGE CAPWELL.— 22 Ocean Avenue, New London, Conn. 

21. HARRIS CAPWELL.— Twelfth and Washington Streets, Oak- 
land, California. 

22. HENRY NELSON CAPWELL.— Factoryville, Pa. 

23. HOWARD E. CAPWELL.— Elmwood, Nebraska. 

24. HOWARD CAPWELL. —Young :\Ien's Christian Association, 
Buftalo, New York. 

25. JAMES S. CAPWELL.— Dalton, Pa. 

23. JOH:^ N. CAPWELL.— 1030 Fink Street, Scranton, Pa. 

27. JOHN M. CAPWELL.— Stevens\dlle, Pa. 

28. JOSEPH A. CAPWELL.— 616 Power Road, Pawtucket, R. I. 

29. RUAL A. QAP WELL.— 202-207 Pauli Building, Scranton, Pa. 

30. STEPHEN CAPWELL.— Forest City, Pa. 

31. V. S. CAPWELL.— Dorrancetor, Pa. 

32. VIRGINIA CAPWELL.— 14 Leather Avenue, Pawtucket, R. I. 

33. V/ ALTER A. CAPWELL.— 321 Penn Avenue, Scranton, Pa. 

34. WALTER F. CAPWELL.— 1030 Fish Street, Scranton, Pa. 

35. WILLIAM S. CAPWELL.— Bloomsburg, Pa. 

35. WALLACE E. CAPWELL.— 2112 Advance Ave., Scranton, Pa. 

37- WILLIAM HARRISON CAPWELL.— Editor "Dallas Post," 
Dallas, Pa. Was horn Marcli 25, 1813, in Clinton Township, Wyoming 
County, Pa, and educated in the common schools. He is the son of the 
late Jahez Green and Marilla (Niver) CapweU, and was married August 
11, 18i';7, to Alpha Sopliionia Wells, who was born August 2, 1846, at 
B 'Uton Township, Sacta. County, Pa. The ceremony was performed by 
ReV. S. C. Moore, Pastor of the Factorjn'ille Baptist Church. 

They have an adopted daughter, Gertrude Grace CapweU, who mar- 
ried Courtney N. Snyder, of Nicholson, Wyoming County, Pa. 



THE CAPPrO'ELL FAMILY 




55 




W^ILIvIAM HAI^RISOX CAF»\VKUL 



at the aoe of fifty-two, froini a photo by (ollamer & son, 
wilkj:sbarre, Pennsylvania , 
• 1895. 




56' ^^^ THE CAPEWELL FAMILY 



She was a daughter of the late Charles Dymond Capwell, brother t\f 
above. 

William Harrison Capwell is editor of the "Dallas Post," of Dallas, 
Pennsylvania, and is deeply interested in the family history. To him w(» 
are indebted for most of the information concerning the Capwell's, 

The pictures of the house, and "Capwell Spring, were taken by him 
on Saturday, .July 1st, 1906. having made a special visit to the old farm 
for that purpose. 



A FAMILY REUNION. 



Dr. David A Capwell, with the assistance of several others, in the 
early part of the summer of 1905, issued calls for a family reunion of the 
descendants of Stephen Capwell of Rhode Island ; which reunion was held 
near the old homestead of the Capwell's at Facto ryville, W^yoming Coun- 
ty, Pennsylvania, U. S. A. 

There were present, all told, about forty Capwell's, including men, 
women and children, who all enjoyed themselves innnensely, and voted 
the affair a great success: so much so that the following officers were 
elected, for the purpose of continuing the reunions annually. 

President, Dr. David A. Capwell, Scranton, Pa. 

Vice-President, William H. Capwell, Editor of "The Dallas Post," 
Dallas, Pa. 

Secretary, Mrs. G. B. Mathewson,(j\Iinerva Capwell) Factory ville, Pa. 

( "It may be interesting to note here that Mrs. Mathewson is the 
mother of Christy Mathewson, the famous base ball player: possil)ly the 
most noted descendant of Stephen Capwell at the present time." — W. H. 
Capwell. ) 

It is thought that twice as many will attend the reunion this year, 
which also takes place in August. 

The following interesting article was written, and read at the reunion 
by its Vice-president, W. H. Capwell, and later, appeared in two issues, 
September loth and 20ih, 1905, of the "Tunkhannock Republican, " of 
Tunkhannock, Pa., from which it is here reproduced, with the exception 
of the pictures, which were made for this issue. 

The article is entertaining and instructive, and gives a fairly good 
idea of the many trials and tribulations of the early Pennsylvania settlers 
and is well worth reading. 




THE CAPEWELL FAMILY. oV 

STEPHBN CAPW^KI^I.. 



Historical Sketch of His Life Read at Kamily Reunion. 

The following Sketch of the life of Stephen CapAvell \v;is read by AV. 
H. Capwell, of Dallas, at the family reunion hekl at Factoryville on Anf. 
25, 1905. " "^ 

Friends, Kelatives and Members of the Tribe of Stephen: 

From all I can learn the name of Capwell conies from the French, 
but as there is no "w" in French, I do not know how they spelled the 
name, whether it was "Capell," or "Chapelle," or "Capouille." However 
it mav have been, all now a^'ree in s])ening it the same way, namelv, 
"Capwell." 

Two brothers — sailors, it is said — landed from a French ship in Ehode 
Island some time before the Revolutionary war, and from these two men 
the present Capwell families in America have descended. 

Stephen Capwell, my great-grandfather, and the great-great-great- 
grandfather of some who are here today, was born in Rliude Island in 
1745. He was a middle-sized, active man. and as near as I can learn, a 
small farmer who supplemented his farvning by sailing on coasting ships 
or fishing smacks as opportunity offered. Along in the latter })art of that 
century, perhaps about 179G or 1797, hard times seemed to have made it 
difllcult for the few small factories to furnish work for the great influx of 
population that had begun to arrive on these shores, and many of the 
young men and boys sought to gain a livelihood by becoming sailors. Two 
of his sons, Jabez and Bartholomew luid already made several voyages, and 
Russell, one of the younger ones, had already gone out to South America 
on a merchantman. Jabez was a pretty well educated young man for that 
time, and had probaljly become a pretty good sailor and navigator. He 
followed the sea all of his life, being at the time of his death the sujier- 
cargo officer of a merchantman sailing between the United States, Den- 
mark and the West Indies. He died about 1813 or 1814, on the island of 
St. Thomas, one of the West Indies. Bartholomew died in the East Indies, 
I think, and his death was one of the causes that moved his father and 
mother to come to Pennsylvania. They wanted to get their children away 
from the ocean. 

In the summer and fall of 1799 Stephen Cajiwell and his family ])ut 
their affairs in shape to follow their neighbors, the Reynoldses, to the new 
Eldorado, "away out West," in Pennsylvania. The following spring ac- 
companied by his son George, he bade the remainder of his family good- 
bye and started on the journey of nearly three hundred miles to seek a 
place where he might get some more productive land than he had in Rhode 
Island; and more acres of it, that all might have enough to eat and in 
time have homes of their own. They had no Saratoga trunks in those 
days and the principle mode of travel was by "foot and walker's line." 
With a. trusty rifle, two good axes and a small bundle of coarse clothing 
on their backs, the travelers set out. Just at what date they started, or 




TTIE CAPEWELL FAMILY 



liow lung it took them to foot it over tlie hills of Connecticut, the monn- 
tiiins of New Jersey and the barrens of what is now Pike county in this 
State, I am unable to say, but that they had n right royal welcome from 
the family of the Ro])ert lieynolds who had come hei-e the year before, I 
have no doubt. 

After a short rest in which all the news of the friends back in Rhode 
Island was rehearsed, they sought a place where they might make a clear- 
ing and put up a cabin for themselves. Looking around they found a 
beautiful spring of water which still sends its limpid stream from yonder 
hill-side, and there they set about building a house and establishing a 
mile-stone in life's journey that would mark the Aveal or woe of the little 
family thev had left behind. 



'S^^^^S. 




XHE CAPWKUL SF»RINQ. 

Tlu' only thiuij: that remains is the old "Capwell Spring," which furnishes 
water for tlie farm, and sends a beautiful stream down the hill to the Tunkhan- 
nock Creek a quarter of a mile distant. The picture is of a stream of water issu- 
iuii from a pipe that is inserted in the spring, which is just over the stone wall and 
noW covered by a board spring-house, which is marked with an X- The old Cap- 
well Spring is about six feet long, four or live feet wide, and tlie water stands 
about three feet in depth and has a temperature of about 52 to 55 degrees the year 
around. Its flow is of sufficient quantity to supply a village of 500 inhabitants. « 

This is the beautiful spring around which the Capwell's gathered and quenched 
the thirst of themselves and stock with the nectar fi'om its crystal depths, over one 
hundred years ago; and who knows ])ut that this may be the secret of the hardi- 
hood of themselves and their descendants. 




THE CAPEWELL FAMILY. ^"^ 59 



By tlie time for planting they had cleared a little space, ami as soon 
as possible they planted a small garden of such vegetables as they had the 
seeds of, that would supplement che little store they had brought with 
them. The rifle proved a valuable companion, and by its use they often 
obtained meat when the larder was empty and very little othei- food could 
be obtained. The house they built was not a very large nor ornate struct- 
ure. It was built of logs, about sixteen by twenty feet in size, and 
thatched wath bark and poles. The floor was made of truncheons, split 
out of logs and hewn flat on one side with an axe. For windows a sheet of 
paper, an old letter, my grandfather said, hud been greased to let in the 
light and fastened over an opening in the wall. The door was a large 
bear skin, the owner of which was killed by Uncle Geoige, though he was 
but a boy at the time. The spring had been dug out and a ditch made so 
that the surplus water that surrounded it could escape and thus clear the 
swampy place in Avhich it was naturally located. 

A fallow had been cut and burnt and a small patch of wheat sown, 
then when the frosts of late November came, they took up their march 
back to the old Rhode Island home to get the remainder of the family and 
bring them to the new home in the "West." They had labored hard and 
the joy they experienced when they were able to go back and tell the rest 
of the family that they had bought a farm and built a new house on it 
that summer, can be better imagined than described. No doubt Uncle 
George had interesting stories to tell of the work thev had done and the 
dangers they had escaped, of the bears and deer he and his father had 
killed, and of the many other wild animals they had seen. 

. During the absence of grandfather and uncle George, Uncle Jeremiah 
and grandmother had taken care of the farm and had raised an excellent 
crop of corn and other produce. They had a fine pair of steers which he 
had broken to Avork, and also a brood nuire and some other stock. Grand- 
mother had prepared as good a stock of provisions for the winter as possi- 
ble, so that when grandfather and Uncle George arrived they felt that 
their absence had not materially affected the production of the farm. 

As the spring of 1801 drew near they made preparations to start for 
their new home. They wanted to get here in time to tap the sugar ma- 
ples and make a supply of sugar for the next year, and also to clear more 
land so that they might plant enough corn to supply them with samp, 
mush and Johny cake. There were no railroads in those days, with their 
gorgeous palace cars and roomy freight trains, and what little truck they 
were to bring with them must be of those things they could not obtain 
in the new homeland, and such as were absolutely necessary and indis- 
l)ensable to their everyday life. Everything else was turned into money, 
for it was necessary to have quite a bit of that needful article to pay the 
expenses of the long journey. 

The long sled was loaded with the principle part of the goods and the 
steers were the motive power. Old "Doll" was hitched to the cutter and 
grandmother, the two little boys, Frederick and Daniel, and the remainder 
of the goods made up that load. Grandfather, Jeremiah, George, Holden 
and the girls, Eunice, Susan and Hannah, comprised the remainder of the 
family that came at that time, and they undoubtedly walked most of the 




60 ^"^ THE CAPKWELL J-AMILY. 



way. As it hap}>ene(l, there was pretty good sleighing that wiDtei- and ihe 
snow histed all the way, so that the journey was nuicli moie pleasant and 
expeditious than it would have beeij otherwise. 

The Connecticut was crossed soniewliere in the neighboi'hocd of Hart- 
ford, the Hudson at Nevvburg, and the Dehiware just below Port Jervis. 

Some funny incidents of that journey have been told me; one was 
that one of tlie little girls tied her rag doll up in her bundle and brought 
it all the way to Pennsylvania. And other things happened that were not 
so funny. One was when the sled tipped over and all the goods went off 
in the snow, some of the kettles rolling down the hill by the side of the 
trail. Three weeks were consumed in that journey, and it was nearly the 
last of February when they reached the modest cabin on the hillside 
which was to be their home for numy years. And here we will leave them 
to pursue their toil while we look at the farm. 

There were 138 acres in the place, and it must have appeared like an 
immense domain compared with the little fields to which they had been 
accustomed. I am unable to find the contract price per acre which 
grandfather agreed to pay for the land, but it took what in these days 
would be regarded a long time to pay for it — twenty-nine years — and the 
sum recei])ted for in the deeds was $696.50, or about five dollars an acre. 
This may have included accumulated interest, but I have no means of 
telling. 

Hard work and lots of it fell to their lot. Tow cloth in summer and 
homespun woolen furnished their clothing in winter. Shoes were such a 
luxury that they could not often be indulged in, and when they were ob- 
tained they were only put on for some very important occasion. The 
young ladies would often carry their shoes in their hands until they came 
in sight of the school house or other place where meetings were held be- 
fore putting them on to appear in public, so choice were they. And I 
have heard that Uncle Russell, who was the dandy of the family, having 
been for some years a sailor, and away on a voyage Avhen the rest of the 
family came to Pennsylvania, often went to see his best girl barefooted. 
He gave as an excuse that he did not need shoes, but the fact Avas that 
shoes were so costly that he could not afford to wear them very often. 

But hard work, rough fare and worry caused the health of grandfa- 
ther to break down, and in 1814 he was so ill that he believ3d he was not 
going to live long, and drew up a will, which after his death Avas recorded 
and still remains among the archives of Luzerne county. It was 
as follows: 

STKPHEN CAPWELL'S WILL. 



To my wife, Hannah Capwell, I give and bequeath one-third part of 
the house in which I now^ live, and one-third part of the profits of the 
farm on which I now reside, and the use of a horse to ride Avhen she 
wants, providing Daniel has one, and in case of her marriage or death to 
be revertible to my son, Daniel Howard Capwell, or his heirs, executors 
or administrators; likewise one likely cow% four sheep, and one-third part 



TIIK (APKWKLL FAMILY 




61 




WII.I^IAM HARRISON CARWKLU 



EDITOR OF THE DALLAS POST," DALLAS, PENNSYLVANIA. 

As ho appeared while delivering the address at the Capwell Reunion 
at Factoryville, Pa., U. S. A., August 25, 1905. 




62 ~*^ THE CAPEWELL FAMILY. 



of the household furniture to her forever, to be disposed of as she shall 
deem proper. 

To my son, Daniel Howard Capwell, I give and bequeath the farm on 
which I now live, with all the privileges and apurtenances thereunto he- 
longing; likewise all the indoor movables which I do not hereafter be- 
queath, together with all live stock, grain and provisions which may be 
on said farm at mj^ death; likewise all the possessions wliich I may own, 
together with all bonds, mortgages and accounts which may be due to me 
at my decease, likewise all moneys Avhich I may leave, all of Avhich I give 
and bequeath to the said Daniel or his heirs forever, by his paying wliat 
del:)ts I may owe, and the legacies hereinafter mentioned, to wit: 

To my son, Jeremiah Capwell, ten dollars. 

To my son, Russell Capwell, ten dollars. 

To my son, George Capwell, ten dollars. 

To my son, Holden Capwell, ten dollars. 

To ni}' son, Frederick Capwell, twenty dollars. 

To my daughter, Eunice Hall, ten dollars. 

To my daughter, Hannah Capwell, one good bed and l)edding, one 
cow and ten dollars in cash. 

To my daughter, Susannah Capwell, one good lied and Ijcdding, one 
cow a. id ten dollars in money; all and sundry of which legacies are to be 
paid at the expiration of one year from my decease. 

It is likewise my will and request, so long as Susannah and Hannah 
shall remain unmarried, to make their home Avith Daniel. 

Lastly I constitute and appoint my son, Jeremiah Capwell, likewise 
my son, Daniel Howard Capwell (when he shall arrive at the age of twen- 
ty-one years), executors of this my last will and testament. 



But the end was not yet. A few years more and he would have been 
out of debt. The older members of his family had married and establish- 
ed h(jmes of their own. He had helped them to the best of his ability, 
but he was poor and the amount he gave them would look very small in 
these times. The summer of 1816 was a sad year for the settlers in these 
parts. It was very cold and the little crops they were able to plant were 
almost a failure. There was frost everj' month, and their gardens prov- 
ed of little benefit to them except as they furnished "pusley" for greens, 
which constituted the principal part of their dinner many a day. Grand- 
father's health continued to fail, and the following February he died, just 
sixteen years after he had brought his family out west. He left l)chind 
him the legacy of a good name, a large family and a considerable debt. 

The reading of the will, which was probated March 6, 1817, created 
some dissatisfaction, in that it gave Daniel, the youngest son, the farm. 
Some of the older ones who had helped to clear the land tliought they 
Avere entitled to a larger share of the property than they received, but the 
matter was settled without much hard feelings being engendered, and 



THE C'AP]]WELL FA:\nLY 




63 



Daniel and grandmother, with the advice of Uncle Jerry, undertook the 
task of completing the payments on the farm and getting the deed. For 
more than ten years they toiled and saved before they succeeded in paying 
the debts and clearing the place, but on the 1st of January, 1829, 
they had the satisfaction of paying the last cent and receiving the deed, 
signed Ijy the Meredith and Clymer heirs. 

Stephen and Hannah had a large family. Their children wero: Ja- 
bez, Bartholomev:, Jeremiah, (Tcv)rge, Holden, Russell, Frederick, Daniel, 
Eunice, Susannah and Hannah, and another daugliter, Lydia, born after 
their arrival in Pennsylvania, Avho died when ([uite small. 

The sons and daughters of Stephen and Hannah Capwell eventually 
married, bought land, l»uilt homes and raised families. Most of them 
settled near the home of their parents. Jeremiah, the oldest son, went 
1)ack to Rhode Island and married "the girl he left behind" him when 
he first came west, but the otliers all fouml acceptable mates liere. Their 
record is about as follows: 




FHEOERIClv CAF»\VKI^L 



Seventh and next to the youngest son of Stephen Capwell : from a copy of an 
aml)rotyi)e taken about 18li(l— duriiig his (JTth year— and highly prized and consid- 
ered very valuable by the family. 

Tt is to Frederick we are so much indebted for his foresight and interest, in 
handing down to his grandson, William Harrison Capwell, so much of the earlier 
history of Stephen Capwell's family. 




64 THE CAPEWKLL FAMILY. 



Jeremiah Capwell was married three times. He married Isahel 
Whipple for his fir, t wife. l)y whom he had five daughters, viz.: Eliza, 
married Alvinza Gardner; Charlotte, married Earl Whitney; Celinda, 
married William Green; Triphena, married iStephen Tillinghast; Elsie, 
married Dr. John Wilson. After the death of his first wife Jeremiah 
married Betsey Wilson, a sister of Dr. Wilson. She became the mother 
of Lydia, who married Dr. George W. Griswold. For his third wife he 
married the widow, Thj'rza Callendar. 

Russell Capwell was twice married. His first wife was the widow 
Jones, mother of Jasper Jones. She lx)re him four children: Lewis; Isn- 
V)el, wife of James Thomas: Hannah, wife of James B. Reynolds, and 

Maria, married Hallstead. His second wife was Polly Madison and 

they had four children: Elizabeth A., wife of Monmouth Rice: Emily; 
Avife of Hadsell; George and Benjamin R. 

Holden Capwell married Sally Billings. Their children were Matil- 
da, wife of ^^'illiam Col)l); Purlina, wife of Jasper Jones; Eunice, wife of 
AsaSmcad; Mary, wife of William Cornell; Sarah, wife of George Car- 
penter; Delilah, wife of Silas Mathewson; Lydia, wife of S. S. DeKay. 
and James. 

Frederick married Dorcas Gardner. His children were Jabez G., 
Daniel T., Joseph Allison, and two daughters, Almeda, wife of Frank H. 
Castle, and ^Lirtha, wife of \V. A\'. Read. Almeda is the only one living. 
She resides at Cheyenne, Wyoming. 

George Capwell's first wife was Mary Gardner. Their children were 
Stephen, Bartholomew, Abel; Amy, wife of Thomas ^\'oodbridge; Susan, 
wife of Thomas ]Maynard, and Almira, wife of Lyman Green. His sec- 
ond wife was Christian Smead, and their children were Mary A., wdfe of 
Dr. G. W. Griswold; Minerva, wife of G. B. Mathewson, and George Asa. 

Eunice Capwell, Stephen's oldest daughter, married Johnatlian Hall. 
They settled in Aldngton township, near Glenburn, and had a large 
family. 

Susannali Capwell married Robert Rej-nolds. Their children were 
J. Whipple, Stephen Cromwell, Rol)ert Leroy, Eliza, wife of Miner ^^'or- 
den; Caroline, wife of Robert Mills; fallen, wife of John B. Tedrick, and 
Emeline, wife of H. P. Jacol)S. 

Hannah Capwell married Hampton Moore. Their children were 
Myron, George, John, Leila, married Thomas Robinson. Emma, wife of 
Zilxi S. Rejmolds; Sally Susan, wife of George Cobb, and Mary, wife of 
Nicholas Brower. 

Daniel H., the youngest son of Stephen Capwell, was married three 
times. His first wife was Polly Wilson, by whom he had six cliildren 
that grew to maturity, viz.: ^linerva, married Orrin Browning; Louisa 
Elizabeth, married Henry, S. Bailej-; Nancy J., married Dr. A. T. Brun 
dage; Philena, married Dr. A. T. Brundage; Stephen Howard, and 
Isaac W. His second wife Avas Elsie A. Browning, and their cliildren 
were Dr, D. A. Capwell and Hannah Adelia, wife of M. 0. Rounds. His 
third wife was Mercy P. Colvin. 



THE capewp:ll family 




65 



a^PiE OULJ CAPWKLL HOMBSXEAL3. 




ox THE STEIMIEN C'APWELL FA1!M, XEAP FAl'TORYVH.LE, CLINTON TOWNSHIP, 

WV().ML\<; COfNTV, PENNj^YLNAMA. 

Built about 1844, liy Stcplion Howard Capwell, grandson of Stephen 
Capwell. There is no riioto (if tlie old log caliin, as it was torn down 
aliout l.S.",C), ()]• 70 years ago, and was supereeedcd hy a more pretentious 
one of plank, wliich, in turn, gave Avay to the present structure. 

After the (Uath of Stei)hen Howard Capwell, the old farm was pur- 
chased hy Ahram W'riglcy, and is still oe('n])ied l\v him. 



William H. Capwell writes later: "I had always had the impression 
that Stephen Capwell was l)orn in Rhode Island, l)ut since the publication 
of my arti(dc last fall, some of the family have cast doubts upon it, and 
I do not know just where he was born. 

As Stephen died in 1817, it was before the time of Photos, and there 
are no other pictures of him extant. In fact I do not think any picture of 
him ever was painted or made. 




bb ^"^ THK I APKWELL FAMILY. 



All I know of him is what my grandfather (Frederick) told me.' 

Frederick Capwell, father of Zabez G. Capwell. was born in October, 
1798 in the state of Rhode Island. 

He came to Pennsylvania with his parents in ISOl, settling in (."lin- 
ton Township, about a mile northwest of Factoryville. 

His father, Stephen Capwell, we always supposed was born in Rhode 
Island. He was descended from a Capwell known as "The Ganges 
Man.' ■ 

Frederick married Dorcas (.Tardner, daughter of Wilbur Gardner, of 
Abington Township, Luzerne County, Pa. 

Dorcas was also born in Rhode Island, but came to Pennsylvania 
with her parents a few years before her marriage. 

She was lx>rn in June. l79o, and died September IG, lS8o, aged 90 
3-ears, 8 months and 2 days. 

Frederick died May 5, 1875, aged 81 years. G months and 10 days. 

Both are buried in the Depot Cemetery, Factoryville, Pa. 

They had live children: -Jabez G.. Daniel Theodore, Almeda, Martha 
and Joseph Allison Capwell. All are now dead except Almeda: she is 
the widow of Frank H. Castle, and resides at Cheyenne, Wyoming, aged 
about 80. 

Frederick was a farmer, and in liis younger days was a very strong 
man. It has IxHi'n said that he could lift a barrel of cider to his knees 
anl drink out of the bung-hole. He was a good rifle-shot and many a 
deer fell before his aim. 

Jabez Green Capwell, son of Frederick and father to AMlliam Harri- 
son Capwell, was also a farmer, and was born September 18, 1820, at 
Xicolson Township, now Clinton Township, Wyoming County, Pennsyl- 
vania . 

He was married March 19, 1842, to Marilla Niver. who was born 
May 28, 1828. and died at Factoryville, and was buried at Evergreen 
Cemetery. 

.Jabez died of heart disease, February 7. 1905, aged 84, and is bur- 
ied beside his wife in Evergreen Cemetery, at Factory^-ille, Pa. 

They had five children: William Harrison, John Xiver. Charles Dy- 
niond, Mary Gertrude, married George E. Snyder; Paulowna, married 
Archibald A. Brown. 



H 105 80 « 



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THE 

C APEWELL 

FAMILY 



1906 



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